WASHINGTON, D.C. March 21, 2012 -People with cancer and their families are disappointed the U.S. House of Representatives is seeking deep cuts in the FY 2013 budget resolution bottom line that would jeopardize access to health care for cancer patients and survivors as well as future discoveries in cancer research and treatment.
With 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women expected to be diagnosed with cancer in his or her lifetime, and 570,000 Americans projected to die from cancer this year, the federal government has a critical role to play by sustaining funding to defeat this disease.
We are deeply concerned that the House budget resolution proposes to repeal key patient protections contained in the Affordable Care Act. The resolution would also further threaten access to health coverage through Medicaid by financing the program through block grants that could dramatically reduce eligibility and limit benefits for the critical safety net program that provides 1 million cancer patients with their medical treatment.
Finally, the House budget proposes to restructure Medicare, the program through which half of all newly diagnosed cancer patients receive their care. Seniors pay throughout their working lives for the promise of guaranteed health care in their old age. This budget would eliminate that guarantee.
Each of these proposals could increase the number of cancer patients and survivors who forgo lifesaving treatment because they lack health coverage. Cancer still kills 1,500 people every day in America. On behalf of the nearly 12 million cancer patients and survivors across the country, ACS CAN urges lawmakers of both political parties to work together to correct the elements of this budget proposal that would impede future strides in cancer research and prevention and patients ' access to adequate, affordable health care.
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
202-661-5772 or 202-661-5711
[email protected] or [email protected]
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