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.
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.
ACS CAN provided the following comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program: Initial Memorandum, Implementation of Sections 1191 – 1198 of the Social Security Act for Initial Price Applicability Year 2026.
Cancer patients and survivors must balance reducing their health care costs with ensuring they have comprehensive coverage of services, treatments, and care providers.
On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, eliminating the constitutional right to abortion and overruling the precedents of Roe and Casey. State actions on access to abortion services could have significant impact on cancer patients.
Telehealth visits that enable providers to deliver clinical services from a distance using options like video conferencing and remote monitoring can provide cancer patients and survivors with a convenient means of accessing both cancer care and primary care.
This Survivor Views survey finds that cancer patients and survivors continue to face pandemic-related health care delays one year later, including disruptions to screenings and difficulties accessing care.
Cancer patients are particularly vulnerable to spikes in their health care costs because many expensive diagnostic tests and treatments are scheduled within a short period of time, so cancer patients spend their deductible and out-of-pocket maximum quickly. These costs can be difficult to manage over the course of a year, and most monthly budgets simply can’t afford these large bills.
Most patients experience spikes in their health care costs around the time of a cancer diagnosis as they pay their deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. For patients on high deductible plans, this spike can mean bills due for several thousands of dollars within one month.
Drug therapies are the bedrock of cancer care. Making these therapies affordable, while continuing to encourage innovation of new treatments, is crucial to accomplishing the mission of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. ACS CAN has long fought for public policies that support both the affordability and availability of medically necessary prescription drugs.
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.
Earlier screening for cancer is important because when detected at later stages, treatments are more limited, and outcomes are generally poorer. Medicare enrollees should have access to multi-cancer screening tests when the benefit is clinically shown.
Earlier screening for cancer is important because when detected at later stages, treatments are more limited, and outcomes are generally poorer. Medicare enrollees should have access to multi-cancer screening tests when the benefit is clinically shown.
This ACS CAN chartbook provides cancer-specific data related to Medicare, including basic information about the program, a discussion of its components, characteristics of enrollees, coverage of services – specifically those related to prevention and screening – program expenditures and enrollees
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.
Cancer patients and survivors must balance reducing their health care costs with ensuring they have comprehensive coverage of services, treatments, and care providers.
The incidence of cancer increases with age and thus the Medicare program is vitally important to millions of Americans who are undergoing active cancer treatment, are cancer survivors or who have not yet developed cancer.
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 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 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.
