Access to Health Care

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Every American deserves access to quality, affordable health care. From cancer screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies to the latest breakthroughs in treatment, everyone should have access to the care that could prevent cancer and save their life.  In addition, ensuring that low-income working families have access to affordable health insurance is proven to reduce overall health care costs. 

We are working in every state and in Congress to expand health care options and protect existing laws that help patients get true access to the care they need. 

People without health insurance are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at a late stage, when the disease is harder to treat, more costly and more difficult to survive.

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Early Implementation of Montana Medicaid Work Requirements a Troubling Direction for Cancer Patients

May 14, 2026
Montana

HELENA, Mont. – Montana will implement work requirements on its Medicaid expansion population on July 1, becoming just the second state to proceed ahead of the federal mandate of January 2027, per HR 1. The access to care that about 80,000 Montanans get through Montana Medicaid has led to better

Alaska Cancer Advocates Call for Passage of Senate Bill 83, Assuring Telehealth Payment Fairness

May 14, 2026
Alaska

JUNEAU, Alaska -- Access to quality, affordable health care is crucial for all Alaskans to lead healthy and happy lives and Senate Bill 83 will be a step in assuring that access, especially for residents in the most rural parts of the state, putting telehealth rate fairness into law. Alaska

New ACS CAN Survey Finds More than Half of Cancer Patients and Survivors in Rural Communities Report Difficulty Affording Cancer Care

May 13, 2026

WASHINGTON, DC – According to a new American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) survey, more than half (53%) of cancer patients and survivors living in rural communities find it difficult to afford their cancer care. Half have incurred medical debt related to the costs of that care,

Cancer Advocates Urge Lawmakers to Reduce the Toll of Tobacco and Improve Access to Care

May 13, 2026
Michigan

Cancer Advocates Gathered at the Capitol Today to Say Michigan Can and Must Do Better to Reduce the Burden of Cancer on Michiganders

Access to Health Care Resources

Increasing Access to FDA‑Approved Cessation Medications Through Pharmacist‑Provided Care

May 12, 2026

Pharmacists are playing an increasingly important public health role, in part due to the widespread presence of pharmacies in communities, with nearly 89% of people in the U.S.

Vaccination Policies and the Impact on the Cancer Community: The Important Role of Childhood Immunization

March 30, 2026

ACS CAN’s Vaccination Policies and the Impact on the Cancer Community: The Important Role of Childhood Immunization report outlines the critical importance of childhood immunizations for people with cancer and their families, and why maintaining high vaccination coverage among ch

ACS CAN comments on NCQA colorectal cancer screening HEDIS measure

March 12, 2026

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) submitted comments to the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA’s) on their proposed new quality measure for HEDIS measurement year (MY) 2027 related to follow-up after positive colorectal