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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.

Prescription Drug Affordability Resources:

Patient Assistance Programs

Prescription drug costs are a significant burden on cancer patients and survivors, sometimes even leading patients to miss or delay taking prescribed medications. The latest Survivor Views survey explores the role copay assistance programs can play in reducing this burden, and also addresses patient navigation and digital therapeutics.

A majority of cancer patients and survivors struggle to afford cancer care and over 80% have had to make financial sacrifices to cover their health care expenses. This survey also reveals ways that affordability concerns can negatively impact care and treatment, and explores issues related to prescription drug coverage and pain management options.

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.

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.

Private Health Insurance Resources:

ACS CAN submitted comments on September 16, 2020, to CMS regarding Georgia's 1332 waiver application.

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.

ACS CAN Comments on Interstate Sale of Insurance

ACS CAN submitted comments regarding the 2020 Proposed Notice of Benefit & Payment Parameters for the individual insurance market.

ACS CAN submitted comments on the proposed 2019 CMS Program Integrity Rule.

ACS CAN submitted comments regarding a proposed rule to change Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and other account-based group health plans.

On March 6, 2018, ACS CAN filed comments on the proposed rule implementing changes to the Employee Retiree Income Security Act’s (ERISA’s) definition of “employer” for purposes of determining when employers may join together to form an Association Health Plan (AHP).

ACS CAN comments to Steven Mnuchin and Seema Verma on Iowa's 1332 Waiver

ACS CAN Comments on Short-Term Policies

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.

 

 

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

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Medicaid Resources:

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.

ACS CAN submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services supporting Hawaii's proposal to provide continuous eligibility for Medicaid to children through age 6, and 2-year eligibility ages 6-19. We also supported their proposal to provide pre-release services to justice-involved individuals.

ACS CAN submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in support of Minnesota's request to provide continuous eligibility for Medicaid to children up to age 6, and 12-month continous eligibility to 19- and 20-year-olds.

ACS CAN submitted comments in July 2023 to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expressing grave concerns about Arkansas' request to create work or engagement requirements in Medicaid. 

Ensuring your community is ready for a return to annual renewals.

Why is continuous coverage coming to an end?

Resources to help you prepare for a return to annual renewals

Annual Medicaid Renewals are back.