WASHINGTON, D.C. – According to a new American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) survey, 90% of cancer patients and survivors say their cancer or their care and treatment required them to miss hours of work, school or volunteering, with nearly one third of respondents (32%) continuing to experience disruptions into survivorship. Forty-two percent of these individuals say they had to miss 13 or more weeks of work.
ACS CAN is raising concerns about people with cancer being able to meet new requirements in Medicaid, which will require new and current expansion enrollees to prove they are working, going to school or volunteering at least 80 hours per month; or prove they qualify for an exemption from the requirement. This survey release comes one day before the comment deadline for the Medicaid work requirement interim final rule (IFR) that is scheduled to go into effect the same day. This rule makes these requirements harsher and even more difficult to navigate than called for in federal statute. ACS CAN submitted comments today calling on the administration to make changes in the final rule to minimize the life-threatening impact these requirements will have on cancer patients, survivors and all those at risk of developing the disease.
The latest Survivor Views survey shows not only are cancer patients often unable to work, attend school or volunteer the number of hours required by new Medicaid work requirements, but also that the burden of proving they should be exempt would be insurmountable for many. According to the survey, three quarters of respondents (75%) said it would be difficult for a cancer patient undergoing treatment to successfully submit paperwork, within a 30-day window, proving their cancer made them unable to work, attend school or volunteer, with 8 out of 10 (81%) saying cancer patients are often already overwhelmed with juggling many tasks essential to their survival and 75% saying cancer symptoms and side effects of treatment can make tasks like submitting additional paperwork very challenging.
“These survey responses are heartbreaking and consistent with the concerns we’ve been raising regarding the new federal Medicaid work requirements. Someone dealing with a cancer diagnosis and going through active treatment simply cannot be expected to consistently meet a work requirement and this survey confirms that even when a cancer patient qualifies for an exemption, they might fall through the cracks and not be able to file burdensome paperwork before they are automatically disenrolled or rejected from the program,” said Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. “Making someone’s health coverage dependent on their ability to work while they’re dealing with a life-threatening diagnosis is cruel and will mean more suffering and death from cancer.”
Half of those surveyed (50%) found it more difficult to remember important tasks during diagnosis and treatment, 41% found it more difficult to keep track of important paperwork, and 35% said making phone calls such as to doctors’ offices and insurance providers was more difficult. Regularly checking and processing email and completing administrative tasks by deadlines were also made more difficult during cancer diagnosis and treatment for 31% and 29% of those surveyed, respectively.
More than half say it would be somewhat or very difficult for cancer patients undergoing treatment to obtain documentation from their doctor to certify they have a serious or complex medical condition that makes them unable to work within a 30-day window – this is something many Medicaid enrollees with cancer are likely going to have to do if they can’t meet the new work requirements and need a “medical frailty” exception under the new rule to get or keep their coverage.
Further, the way in which the administration is implementing the medical frailty exception will limit flexibility for cancer patients who want to work when they can. More than half (58%) of those who participated in this survey said their ability to work was inconsistent from one month to another during treatment, while 1 in 4 said their ability to work changed even week to week. Over half of respondents reported having to shift to a part-time or reduced schedule. Despite this, an overwhelming majority (73%) said they would prefer to keep working even if they had to work less during active treatment. But to be designated medically frail and exempt from work requirements, Medicaid enrollees will have to say they are unable to work – which will discourage these individuals from working when they feel able or need the wages despite their illness.
“Cancer patients and survivors are going to be put in an impossible position. Many want to work but can’t work full time, and their ability to keep their health coverage will depend on a cumbersome paperwork burden for both patients and state Medicaid offices. Cancer won’t wait while the details are ironed out or mistakes are corrected, and meanwhile, if treatment is interrupted or delayed, it could result in worse cancer outcomes,” said Lacasse. “ACS CAN is calling on lawmakers to do everything they can to ensure cancer patients and survivors do not fall through the cracks and erroneously lose the health coverage for which they are eligible.”
The survey of 1,659 cancer patients and survivors nationwide who have been diagnosed with or treated for cancer in the last seven years was conducted between July 1-21, 2026.
Read the full polling memo.
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