Public Policy Resources

This ACS CAN report focuses specifically on the costs of cancer borne by patients in active treatment as well as survivors.  It examines the factors contributing to the cost of cancer care, the type of direct costs patients pay, and the indirect costs associated with cancer.

Reducing the cancer burden depends on access to meaningful health coverage for all Americans. ACS CAN created an infographic to help illustrate the difference between having access to affordable, adequate coverage and facing barriers to care when facing a cancer diagnosis.

Resources and information from the American Cancer Society about understanding health insurance, particularly for cancer patients and survivors.

The American Cancer Society operates a call center available to all cancer patients and their families, that includes resources and specialists who can help patients with questions about health insurance, enrolling in a plan, and issues accessing care.

ACS CAN, the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association released a joint statement providing principles for any entitlement reform proposal.

ACS CAN filed extensive comments expressing deep concern with the proposed Medicare Part B Drug Payment Model and noting that in its proposed form the Part B Drug Model Model failed to protect cancer patients' access to life-saving medications.

On November 10, 2015, ACS CAN hosted the first National Summit on Health Equity in St. Louis, Missouri. The summit brought together over 150 innovative thinkers in public policy, business, technology, academia, patient care, community health, and patient advocacy to examine public policy solutions for assuring greater health equity for cancer patients in the evolving health care system.

In a letter to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), ACS CAN and other organziations provided specific comments to provide greater consumer protections and improvements to  the NAIC's Health Carrier Prescription Drug Benefit Model Act (Formulary Model Act). 

ACS CAN filed comments on the 2017 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters, including issues related to Medicare notices, standardized plan option designs, and network adequacy.