New York Cancer Action Center

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.

During Lung Cancer Awareness Month, cancer patients, survivors and volunteers with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) in New York are calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to take urgent action to reduce the state’s lung cancer burden by signing legislation that will eliminate cost-sharing for lung cancer screening and follow-up tests. As the advocates’ calls reach a fever pitch, new data, published in JAMA , has emerged to indicate that lung cancer screening uptake is low with only 1 in 5 eligible adults in the U.S. getting screened for lung cancer.

Earlier today, a new bill was introduced in the New York City Council to improve New Yorkers’ access to cancer screening. Int. #1369-2025 will require all private employers with a staff of five or more to grant employees paid time off—up to five hours annually—for preventative medical care, including doctor-recommend screening, ensuring that fear of wage or job loss does not serve as a barrier to workers’ ability to prevent, detect and ultimately survive cancer.

“With just days left in the legislative session, the New York State Assembly must not leave Albany without reforming the state’s inadequate Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) program--for the second year in a row."