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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:

ACS and ACS CAN provided comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on the list of Part D drugs selected for the price negotiation program authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) along with partners appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Patient Navigation provisions of CY2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) provided the following statement for the record at the House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Hearing on Legislative Solutions to Bolster Preparedness and Response for all Hazards and Public Health Security Threats on June 13, 2023.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) provided the following statement for the record at the House Energy & Commerce Oversight Hearing on Examining the Root Causes of Drug Shortages: Challenges in Pharmaceutical Drug Supply Chains on May 11, 2023.

Our latest survey finds that cancer patients and survivors would be less likely to stay current with preventive care, including recommended cancer screenings, if the provision requiring these services be covered at no cost were repealed. This survey also explores the challenges of limited provider networks and the need for patient navigation.

Annual Medicaid Renewals are back. During the pandemic, Congress changed the rules to allow for continuous coverage protections for Medicaid enrollees. This helped people keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll during a tough and uncertain time in our country. 

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.

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.

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.

Prescription Drug Affordability Resources:

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.

This Survivor Views survey examined access to and affordability of cancer care. Survivors report insurance-related barriers to obtaining prescriptions, and lower-income respondents in particular have difficulty affording them.  24% of respondents have received a surprise medical bill, 60% of which were more than $500.

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).

For an individual with specific health care needs – like cancer patients and survivors – the drugs covered by a health plan and corresponding cost sharing for each drug is important information when choosing health insurance. However, to make an informed choice, formulary information must be disclosed to the individual.

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Costs and Barriers to Care Resources:

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.

 

 

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Medicaid Resources:

ACS CAN opposes Ohio’s proposal to implement work requirements in its Medicaid program, and we urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reject this waiver.

As Congress and the administration consider changes to federal spending that could severely cut Medicaid funding and impact state budgets, some facts are getting lost in the debate.

In 2023 10% of adults with a history of cancer in the U.S. relied on Medicaid for their health care. Access to affordable health insurance is crucial for individuals to receive necessary care, especially for those with chronic conditions like cancer. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network opposes cuts to the Medicaid program, as these cuts will make it harder for many people to receive preventive services and cancer screenings, cancer treatments and health care in survivorship.

ACS CAN opposes per capita caps, block grants, and other capped funding structures for the Medicaid program, as they endanger access to care.

ACS CAN submitted comments to CMS in support of Pennsylvania's application for an 1115 Medicaid waiver to provide continuous eligibility to children, provide targeted coverage to justice-involved populations, and provide housing and nutrition supports to Medicaid enrollees.