Access to Health Insurance

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As Congress considers changes to the Affordable Care Act, and as recently passed cuts to affordable health care take effect, we are committed to safeguarding the patient protections that are so important to cancer patients and survivors, and ensuring insurance coverage is truly affordable.  

We can never go back to the day when cancer patients couldn’t get health insurance coverage because they exceeded a lifetime limit or are denied coverage just because they survived cancer.  And, we must ensure they don’t experience any gap in their health insurance coverage and that their policies are truly affordable.

A study conducted by the American Cancer Society showed that people who are uninsured or underinsured are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at its more advanced stages when treatment is more expensive and patients are more likely to die from the disease.

Latest Updates

May 18, 2026
Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. – “As lawmakers close the 2026 legislative session, their record on improving cancer policy is decidedly mixed for the nearly 40,000 Minnesotans who will be diagnosed with the disease this year. “The legislature took some steps to minimize the harms to Minnesotans on Medical Assistance

May 18, 2026

Late Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a final rule on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (NBPP) for plan year 2027. In March, the American Cancer Society Cancer

May 14, 2026
Montana

HELENA, Mont. – Montana will implement work requirements on its Medicaid expansion population on July 1, becoming just the second state to proceed ahead of the federal mandate of January 2027, per HR 1. The access to care that about 80,000 Montanans get through Montana Medicaid has led to better

May 4, 2026
Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa – Statement from Jackie Cale, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Iowa government relations director: “ACS CAN is disappointed that lawmakers closed the legislative session without passing major legislation to ease the burden of cancer on Iowans. Iowa has the 2 nd highest incident

Access to Health Insurance Resources

Current federal law has several provisions that help prevent individuals and families from experiencing gaps in their health insurance coverage.  Coverage gaps can delay necessary care, which is particularly detrimental to cancer patients and survivors.  Preventing gaps in coverage is a crucial patient protection that must be maintained in our health care and insurance system.

Our latest Survivor Views survey finds nearly three in four cancer patients and survivors who rely on the marketplace for comprehensive coverage stand to lose access to lifesaving care if the enhanced premium tax credits are not extended. Additionally, one quarter of those who rely on the enhanced health care tax credits report that if the credits expire, they will become uninsured or forced into a non-comprehensive "junk" plan.

Access to affordable health insurance is crucial for individuals to receive necessary care, especially for those with chronic conditions like cancer.