Access to Health Care

Access to Health Care

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.

Access to Health Care Resources:

Congress Must Make Permanent the ACA Enhanced Tax Credits

May 10, 2024

Having affordable and comprehensive health insurance coverage is a key determinant for surviving cancer.

Congress Must Make Permanent the ACA Enhanced Tax Credits

May 10, 2024

Having affordable and comprehensive health insurance coverage is a key determinant for surviving cancer.

Congress Must Make Permanent the ACA Enhanced Tax Credits

May 10, 2024

Having affordable and comprehensive health insurance coverage is a key determinant for surviving cancer.

Survivor Views: Majority of Cancer Patients & Survivors Have or Expect to Have Medical Debt

May 9, 2024

Our latest survey finds that about half of cancer patients and survivors (49%) have incurred medical debt to pay for their cancer care and another 13% expect to incur medical debt as they begin or continue their treatment. Nearly all of those (98%) had health care coverage at the time they accumulated medical debt. This survey also explores the broad health and financial implications of medical debt, how medical debt deepens inequites, and the alarming rate of cancer related medical debt among younger respondents with early diagnoses.

ACS and ACS CAN letter regarding CMS data

March 22, 2024

Addressing Cancer Disparities in LGBTQ+ Communities

March 20, 2024

A critical factor for eliminating disparities and ensuring health equity is the guarantee that all people have access to quality, affordable health care.

Factors Influencing Cancer Disparities

January 11, 2024

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) believes everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. No one should be disadvantaged in their fight against cancer because of income, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, or where they live. From preventive screening and early detection, through diagnosis and treatment, and into survivorship, there are several factors that influence cancer disparities among different populations across the cancer continuum.

Medicare’s Six Protected Classes Explained

November 14, 2023

In 2003, Congress passed the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA), which created an outpatient prescription drug benefit in the Medicare program. Known as Part D, the prescription benefit is operated exclusively through private insurance plans that contract with Medicare. To ensure that beneficiaries have coverage for the drugs they need Part D plans are required to cover at least two drugs in each therapeutic class. A therapeutic class is a group of medications that are used to treat the same condition.

Survivor Views: One in Ten Impacted by Recent Drug Shortages

October 19, 2023

The nation’s drug shortage crisis continues to affect cancer patients and survivors with 1 in every 10 (10%) reporting impacts to care, a majority of whom have had difficulties finding substitute medications (68%) and cited treatment delays (45%).

Private Health Insurance Resources:

ACS CAN Examination of Cancer Drug Coverage and Transparency in the Health Insurance Marketplaces

November 18, 2015

In 2015, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) analyzed coverage of cancer drugs in the health insurance marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and found that transparency of coverage and cost-sharing requirements were insufficient to allow cancer patients to choose the best plan for their needs.

Cancer Drug Coverage in Health Insurance Marketplace Plans (2014)

March 1, 2014

This analysis examines two issues of particular interest to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and its members: the extent of coverage and cost-sharing for cancer drugs, and whether information on the coverage of cancer drugs can be readily obtained, compared, and understood by patients.

Spending to Survive: Cancer Patients Confront Holes in the Health Insurance System

January 30, 2009

This report highlights the severe challenges cancer patient may face in paying for life-saving care even when they have private health insurance.

Costs and Barriers to Care Resources:

Dependent Insurance Coverage is Critical for Young Adult Cancer Patients & Survivors

January 10, 2017

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.

Cancer Patients Need Access to Comprehensive Health Insurance

January 10, 2017

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.

Bans on Lifetime and Annual Cost Caps Protect Cancer Patients

January 9, 2017

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.

ACS CAN comments on 2015 Edition EHR Standards and Certification Criteria Proposed Rule

August 10, 2016

ACS CAN comments on 2015 Edition EHR Standards and Certification Criteria Proposed Rule

Medicaid Resources:

Medicaid Expansion & The End of Continuous Coverage in Wyoming

May 4, 2023

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

Medicaid Expansion & The End of Continuous Coverage in Wisconsin

May 4, 2023

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

Medicaid Expansion & The End of Continuous Coverage in Tennessee

May 3, 2023

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

Medicaid Expansion & The End of Continuous Coverage in South Carolina

May 3, 2023

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

Medicaid Expansion & The End of Continuous Coverage in North Carolina

May 3, 2023

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

Medicaid Expansion & The End of Continuous Coverage in Mississippi

May 3, 2023

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

Medicaid Expansion & The End of Continuous Coverage in Kansas

May 3, 2023

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

Medicaid Expansion & The End of Continuous Coverage in Florida

May 3, 2023

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

Medicaid Expansion & The End of Continuous Coverage in Georgia

April 28, 2023

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

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