ACS CAN Comments on Essential Health Benefit (EHB) Request for Information

More than 1.9 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer this year and more than 18 million Americans living today have a history of cancer. Having comprehensive and affordable health insurance coverage is a key determinant for surviving cancer. Research from the American Cancer Society shows that uninsured Americans are less likely to get screened for cancer and thus are more likely to have their cancer diagnosed at an advanced stage when survival is less likely and the cost of care more expensive. In enacting the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Congress mandated that qualified health plans must cover certain essential health benefits (EHBs), which were intended to be a comprehensive set of benefits that would correct longstanding coverage gaps in the individual and small group markets and improve access to health care.