WASHINGTON, D.C. February 29, 2012 The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) sent a letter to senators today urging them to vote against an amendment to the transportation bill that would permit employers to refuse employee insurance coverage for any health benefit guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act if the employer raises a religious or moral objection to those benefits. Half of cancer deaths could be avoided with proper access to proven cancer screenings, tobacco control and nutrition and physical activity. The letter states that passage of the Blunt Amendment could result in coverage denials of life-saving preventive services such as mammograms or tobacco cessation based on employer discretion. The text of the letter from Christopher W. Hansen, president of ACS CAN, follows: February 29, 2012 Dear Senator: On behalf of millions of cancer patients, survivors and their families, we write to express our opposition to the amendment proposed by Senator Roy Blunt to the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act that would permit employers to refuse employee insurance coverage for any health benefit guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act if the employer raises a religious or moral objection to those benefits. Annually, seven out of ten deaths among Americans are attributed to chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.æ The Affordable Care Act made significant strides to stem this epidemic by ensuring patients would have access to essential care that could address prevention, early detection, and treatment all necessary elements to improve the health and well-being of our nation. Unfortunately, the expansive nature of the proposed Blunt amendment would directly undercut this progress.æ Specifically, it would allow any health insurance plan or employer, with a religious affiliation or not, to exclude any service required by the Affordable Care Act if they object based on undefined religious beliefs or moral convictions.æ The implications of this provision could result in coverage denials of life-saving preventive services such as mammograms or tobacco cessation based on employer discretion.æ Consider the reality that under the amendment a tobacco manufacturer could refuse coverage of tobacco cessation benefits for its employees. We urge all members of the Senate to consider the undefined impact this amendment could have on employee health care coverage, and to please vote against it.æ Thank you for your consideration of this request. Sincerely, Christopher W. Hansen President ACS CAN, the leading voice of patients in the health care debate, is working to ensure that critical patient protections of the Affordable Care Act are implemented as strongly as possible for cancer patients, survivors and caregivers. For more information, visit https://www.fightcancer.org/healthcare. ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Alissa Crispino or Steven Weiss American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Phone: (202) 661-5772 or (202) 661-5711 Email: [email protected] or [email protected] #acscan #cancer #prevention