Casey O'Neill
Sr. Regional Media Advocacy Manager
Public Health Champions Unite to Applaud Senate and Urge Assembly and Governor Hochul “Reject the Rollback”
Patient advocates say proposed changes to biomarker testing coverage criteria in Assembly and Executive budgets could limit access to lifesaving care for New Yorkers covered by Medicaid
March 18, 2026
Earlier today, a coalition of patient advocates, legislative champions, public health leaders and concerned cancer survivors, led by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), came together to applaud the Senate and call on Governor Hochul and Assembly leadership to join the Senate in preserving Medicaid enrollees’ access to biomarker testing.
The conversation around equitable access to biomarker testing was reignited earlier this year, when Governor Hochul proposed to eliminate the existing coverage criteria for Medicaid enrollees exclusively. In effect, it will mean New Yorkers who rely on Medicaid could have a harder time accessing biomarker testing and the new, innovative treatments that target specific markers and/or require biomarker testing for use.
In their one house budgets, the New York State Senate flatly rejected the governor’s proposal to roll back Medicaid coverage criteria for biomarker testing while the Assembly took a more mixed approach, accepting parts of the Governor’s proposed language and rejecting others.
Today’s event served as a response to the disparate proposals from both chambers and the governor and a call for a consensus that recognizes the unique needs of New Yorkers who are battling disease and rely on Medicaid.
Senator Roxanne Persaud and Assemblywoman Pamela Hunter sponsored the 2023 legislation that brought the promise of precision medicine to millions of more New Yorkers. They fought hard to expand access to biomarker testing and now they are back to defend it.
Senator Persaud said, “New York took an important step forward toward equitable cancer care when we enacted landmark biomarker testing legislation to ensure patients have access to the most advanced, evidence-based care. Any proposal that weakens those standards, risks rolling back the progress we made for patients and families across our state.” She added, “The Senate One-House Budget firmly rejected the proposal to rollback biomarker coverage for Medicaid patients. Our focus must remain on protecting access to comprehensive biomarker testing, and I will continue to advocate for preserving the law as it was intended.”
Assemblywoman Hunter continued, “For New Yorkers facing a cancer diagnosis, access to biomarker testing can be the difference between receiving the right treatment or losing valuable time on care that may not work. We cannot afford to weaken access to these critical tools, especially for patients who rely on Medicaid. As budget negotiations continue, we must ensure the final agreement protects access to precision medicine testing and reflects a clear commitment to evidence-based care.”
Assemblymember John T. McDonald III, RPh also said, “Access to precision medicine can be life-saving. Biomarker testing plays a critical role in ensuring that patients, especially those relying on Medicaid, receive the right treatment at the right time. I stand with advocates, survivors, and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network in calling for a final state budget that protects and strengthens access to biomarker testing, so every New Yorker has the opportunity to receive personalized, effective care.”
The legislative champions were joined at the press conference by Colette Smith, a lung cancer survivor from the Bronx who credits biomarker testing with unlocking future treatment options in the event that her cancer returns.
“Not only did biomarker testing give my doctors critical information about my cancer and make clear what treatment was best suited to fight my unique diagnosis, should it return. It gave me hope,” said Smith. “And every patient, no matter their diagnosis, deserves real hope. Governor Hochul and the Assembly have delivered such hope to patients before, and there’s still time for them to do it again.”
Public health leaders echoed Smith’s sentiment, calling on the governor and Assembly to keep New Yorkers covered so that they have real options and aren’t forced to accept cookie-cutter treatment plans, which can be less effective and ultimately more expensive.
“Biomarker testing is transforming the treatment of cancer and other diseases while helping to reduce health care costs. 22 other states have passed similar legislation to align coverage of biomarker testing with the latest evidence. If New York lawmakers rollback coverage of this critical testing, we’re saying New Yorkers don’t deserve the same access as patients in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania or California,” said Michael Davoli, senior government relations director for ACS CAN in New York. “New York was a national leader on this issue. We cannot abandon that responsibility and put a patient population that is already vulnerable at a greater disadvantage.”
Following today’s event, advocates connected directly with Assembly and Senate leaders to emphasize their concern and appeal to their vision for a New York that champions affordable access to quality, comprehensive health care.
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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.
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