ACS CAN advocates for policies that provide access to treatments and services people with cancer need for their care - including those who may be newly diagnosed, in active treatment and cancer survivors.
ACS CAN commented on the Medicare CY2015 Physician Fee Schedule, in which we urged, among other things for CMS to designate screeming colonoscopioes that resule in polyp removal or biopsy as a preventive service. We also commented on the proposed provisions related to the Chronic Care Management code.
ACS CAN, the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association released a joint statement in support of the Medicaid program, noting that any reforms should improve the value of care provided under the program and should not reduce access for Medicaid beneficiaries.
As the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) updated its Managed care Plan Network Adequacy Model Act (Network Adequacy Model Act), ACS CAN filed comments urging the NAIC to adopt policies that would ensure that health plan networks are sufficient to provide enrollees with access to a sufficient number and type of providers (including oncology services) to meet the needs of the enrollees.
ACS CAN commented in the FY2015 Medicare Hospice payment rule, in which we urged, among other things, for Medicare to develop a workable solution to better clarify when a prescription drug is covered under the Hospice or Part D benefit.
For persons living with cancer, access to specialty practitioners is paramount. Millions of Americans are now choosing health coverage through the new insurance Marketplaces and these enrollees need to be able to easily determine whether specific physicians are in a plan’s network.
Adequate and sustained investments and improvements in prevention and early detection are essential to meaningful health care reform. The Affordable Care Act took an important step in addressing these issues by creating a mandatory fund, known as the Prevention and Public Health Fund, to provide an expanded and sustained national investment in evidence-based programs that will help improve health and reduce chronic disease in our nation.
ACS CAN filed comments in response to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation's (CMMI's) request for information on specialty practitioner payment model opportunities. ACS CAN's comments urged CMMI to pay particular attention to the impact various payment policies would have on a beneficiary's access to care.
Many cancer patients take multiple drugs as part of their treatment – often for many months or years. While drugs are not the only costly part of cancer treatment, finding ways to reduce these costs for patients and payers will significantly reduce the overall cost burden of cancer.
Many cancer patients have difficulty affording the cost of their prescription drugs, regardless of whether they are insured. This is especially true for newer drugs that do not have a generic equivalent. Many programs exist to help patients afford their medication. This fact sheet focuses on two of these – patient assistance programs and discount coupons.
ACS CAN joined 50 groups representing, cancer patients, survivors, doctors, nurses, cancer centers, pharmacists and researchers urging Congress to address barriers to patient access to care and coverage.
ACS CAN joined organizations representing cancer patients, survivors, providers, and caregivers urging the administration to address barriers to access to care and coverage during the public health crisis
The Medicare Access for Patients Rx (MAPRx) Coalition raises concerns about proposed changes to the Medicare prescription drug benefit and Medicare Advantage plans
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the 2021 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters proposed rule. ACS CAN is making cancer a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state, and local levels.
ACS CAN supports legislative and regulatory policies at the state and federal level that prohibit patients from being surprise billed for unexpected out-of-network care.
Biological drugs, commonly referred to as biologics, are a class of drugs that are produced using a living system, such as a microorganism, plant cell, or animal cell. Like all drugs, biologics are regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Last year, the Administrative finalized a regulation that expands access to short-term, limited-duration insurance products. Short-term plans were originally intended to bridge gaps in comprehensive coverage – for instance, when an individual was between jobs and temporarily without access to an employer plan.
Our ability to continue to make progress against cancer relies heavily on eliminating the inequities that exist in the prevention and early detection of cancer. This factsheet explores how health outcomes vary across groups, barriers to cancer screenings, and how ACS CAN is taking action.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®), ACS CAN and the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) share new ideas for overcoming inequality in oncology. The recommendations address how medical systems in the United States often disproportionately fail minority patients and draws on polling data to help call for urgent action.
Research shows that while overall cancer mortality rates in the U.S. are dropping, populations that have been marginalized are bearing a disproportionate burden of preventable death and disease. Researchers and policymakers need timely collection and publication of demographic data to identify disparities to improve health equity in cancer prevention, detection, and treatment.
Telehealth can help to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes for all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or zip code by providing cancer patients with a means of accessing both cancer care and primary care.
Despite notable advances in cancer prevention, screening, and treatment, not all individuals benefit equally from this important progress. This fact sheet provides an overview of current health disparities in cancer care and a snapshot of ACS CAN federal advocacy activities to eliminate these disparities and achieve health equity.
In order to reduce cancer mortality we must fight to achieve health equity, the just and fair opportunity for everyone to prevent, find, treat and survive cancer. This document shows a snapshot of how ACS CAN is fighting for health equity at the national, state and local levels.
Research is critical to understanding and reducing cancer disparities, as well as examining gaps in cancer prevention and care delivery that contribute to these disparities. Clinical trials are a key part of research and enable the development of better drugs and treatments for cancer.
All individuals should have equitable access to quality cancer care and equal opportunity to live a healthy life. Our ability to continue to make progress against cancer relies heavily on eliminating the inequities that exist in cancer care.
Although tobacco-related cancer incidence and mortality have declined in the U.S., we continue to see disparities by socioeconomic status (SES), race/ethnicity, educational level, gender, sexual orientation, and geographic location. Our ability to continue to make progress against cancer relies h
As Congress debates enacting changes to the health care market, one concept re-emerging is state high-risk pools to provide health insurance coverage for individuals who otherwise cannot obtain or afford coverage. High risk pools are not a new concept. Prior to the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) many states operated some form of high risk pool. During implementation of the ACA, a federal high risk pool was established as an interim step to the new marketplaces. The overall success of high risk pools varied. This fact sheet examines how state risk pools work and the impact on persons with cancer and cancer survivors.
Current federal requirements prohibit health insurance plans from denying coverage to individuals with pre-existing conditions like cancer. These are one of several important patient protections that must be part of any health care system that works for cancer patients.
Current federal law has several provisions that help prevent individuals and families from experiencing gaps in their health insurance coverage. Coverage gaps can delay necessary care, which is particularly detrimental to cancer patients and survivors. Preventing gaps in coverage is a crucial patient protection that must be maintained in our health care and insurance system.
Current federal law provides life-saving coverage of cancer prevention and early detection services and programs. These provisions are crucial to reducing the incidence and impact of cancer in the United States. They are also crucial in helping cancer survivors remain cancer-free and lead healthy lives.
The Medicare program covers 55.3 million people, including 46.3 million who qualify due to age and 9 million people who qualify on the basis of a disability. Medicare beneficiaries - including many cancer patients and survivors - have access to an outpatient prescription drug benefit that provides them with prescription drugs needed to treat their disease or condition. This benefit – and keeping it affordable – are crucial to any health care system that works for cancer patients and survivors.
The health care law has several provisions that help prevent individuals from experiencing gaps in health insurance coverage, including the requirement that private health insurance plans allow dependents to remain on their parents’ insurance until age 26. This provision is important for keeping survivors of childhood and young adult cancer insured, and helps to ensure young adults receive preventive services and screenings. This provision is a crucial patient protection that must be a part of a health care system that works for cancer patients and survivors.
Consumers need access to health insurance policies that cover a full range of evidence-based health care services – including prevention and primary care – necessary to maintain health, avoid disease, overcome acute illness and live with chronic disease. Any health care system that works for cancer patients must have standards ensuring that enrollees have access to comprehensive health insurance.
Current federal requirements prohibit most insurance plans from limiting both the lifetime and annual dollar value of benefits. This ban is one of several important patient protections that must be part of any health care system that works for cancer patients.
Current federal requirements provide crucial protections that ensure health insurance coverage is comprehensive, not arbitrarily limited, available to all and more affordable. These protections are especially important for cancer patients, survivors, and those at risk for cancer. This fact sheet contains a list of the most important provisions in current law for the cancer community.
