Just days after the conclusion of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, cancer patients, survivors and volunteers with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) are celebrating a major victory for public health after Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation eliminating cost-sharing for lung cancer screening, follow-up scans and diagnostic tests. The newly enacted law (S2000-A / A1195-A) positions New York as one of the nation’s leaders in removing financial barriers that often prevent early detection of lung cancer, which greatly informs whether someone will survive their lung cancer diagnosis.
The enactment of S2000-A / A1195-A comes as new data published in JAMA underscores the urgency: only 1 in 5 eligible adults nationwide receive recommended lung cancer screening. Additional data indicates that, in New York specifically, just 21.8% of high-risk adults have been screened and, more troubling still, around 70% of all lung cancers in New York are diagnosed at an advanced stage.
Each year, nearly 13,000 New Yorkers are diagnosed with lung cancer, and the state’s five-year survival rate remains only 35.4%. Early detection dramatically shifts outcomes. Depending on type and stage, lung cancer can have a survival rate of 65% when found early but drops to 9% when discovered after the disease has spread. The gaps in early detection are a result of many barriers but chief among them is cost.
Until now in New York, residents have encountered out-of-pocket expenses for the diagnostic and follow-up scans that doctors order after initial, abnormal screenings. These out-of-pocket cost-sharing requirements, including co-pays, deductibles and co-insurance, have been shown to inhibit people from completing the screening process, which makes it harder for them to detect their cancer early when it is most treatable. S2000-A / A1195-A will eliminate the cost burden of these tests, making it so that more New Yorkers can detect their cancer early, get connected to care without delay and reach survivorship as soon as possible.
Support for the bill extended across medical leaders and public health organizations in New York. In calling for the passage of the legislation, supporters and advocates not only cited how it will save lives but also state funds. According to an analysis by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, if lung cancer screening rates increase by 25% whereby the equivalent rate of diagnoses shift from an advanced stage to a potentially curable stage, New York could save $113 million per year, including $75 million in Medicaid costs. More patients would be plugged into more cost-effective treatments that sooner extend and save lives. The coalition of supporters have called it a “win-win.”
“This is outstanding news for New Yorkers, a powerful step likely to benefit every single family across the state,” said lung cancer expert Mary Reid, BSN, MSPH, PhD, Chief of Cancer Screening and Survivorship at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. “We know how widespread and how deadly lung cancer is, we know who is at greatest risk, and we have the tools to save lives by detecting more cases early. And now, thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul, Assembly Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes and our state leaders, we can put those tools to work with a smart strategy for overcoming some of our biggest barriers.”
Michael Davoli, senior government relations director for ACS CAN in New York, celebrated the governor’s action.
“By signing this bill, New York has taken a historic step toward saving lives from lung cancer." said Davoli. “For too long, cost barriers have kept high-risk New Yorkers from getting fully screened, and the consequences have been deadly. This law changes that reality. Governor Hochul and the Legislature have delivered a policy that will enable more New Yorkers to detect their cancer early, ensuring they have a fighting chance. We applaud them and give special thanks to the legislative sponsors, Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Senator Joseph Addabbo, and Governor Hochul for delivering for New Yorkers.”
The new law ensuring New Yorkers can access lung cancer screening and follow-up care without cost barriers will go into effect on January 1, 2027.
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About ACS CAN
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) advocates for evidence-based public policies to reduce the cancer burden for everyone. We engage our volunteers across the country to make their voices heard by policymakers at every level of government. We believe everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Since 2001, as the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in cancer research funding, expanded access to quality affordable health care, and advanced proven tobacco control measures. We stand with our volunteers, working to make cancer a top priority for policymakers in cities, states and our nation’s capital. Join the fight by visiting www.fightcancer.org.
