LANSING, MI –As lawmakers dive into the 2022 legislative session, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) urges legislators to prioritize improving access to cancer care and tobacco control funding, both of which will ease the burden of cancer in Michigan.
“For nearly ten years, ACS CAN has been advocating for the passage of oral chemotherapy fairness legislation and will continue to do so this year,” said Andrew Schepers, ACS CAN government relations director. “This legislation would ensure the out-of-pocket cost to the patient for oral chemotherapy and intravenous chemotherapy are similar. Currently, the out-of-pocket costs for some oral chemotherapy medications are higher than intravenous medications and provide an unnecessary barrier for some Michiganders.”
Furthermore, as lawmakers mull various changes to Michigan’s budget this legislative session, ACS CAN urges the legislature to increase funding for the state’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Navigation Program and increase funding for tobacco prevention and cessation services. Thirty percent of cancer deaths in Michigan are attributable to smoking. We can and we must do better. By investing in tobacco prevention and cessation Michigan could fund numerous efforts to reduce tobacco use including local community interventions, the state tobacco quitline, nicotine replacement therapy, and a mass-media campaign to counter the estimated $298.3 million the tobacco industry spends marketing its deadly and addictive products in Michigan each year. These interventions will help prevent kids from starting to use tobacco and help those already addicted quit. ACS CAN calls on the Michigan legislature to invest $10 million in tobacco prevention and cessation to make our state cleaner, safer, and healthier.
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About ACS CAN at 20
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) makes cancer a top priority for policymakers at every level of government. ACS CAN empowers volunteers across the country to make their voices heard to influence evidence-based public policy change that saves lives. We believe everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, find, 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 made workplaces, including restaurants and bars, smoke-free. As we mark our 20th anniversary, we’re more determined than ever to stand together with our volunteers and save more lives from cancer. Join the fight by visiting www.fightcancer.org.