Access to Health Care

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Every American deserves access to quality, affordable health care. From cancer screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies to the latest breakthroughs in treatment, everyone should have access to the care that could prevent cancer and save their life.  In addition, ensuring that low-income working families have access to affordable health insurance is proven to reduce overall health care costs. 

We are working in every state and in Congress to expand health care options and protect existing laws that help patients get true access to the care they need. 

People without health insurance are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at a late stage, when the disease is harder to treat, more costly and more difficult to survive.

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Access to health care
National

U.S. House considering including ACS CAN provisions in wide-ranging bill

Ask Congress to pass our proposals that reduce the cost of health insurance and cap prescription drug out-of-pocket expenses for millions of cancer patients and survivors. 

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Latest Updates

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House to Vote on Legislation Expanding Access to Affordable Health Care to Millions

November 19, 2021

The U.S. House of Representatives will consider landmark legislation that would expand access to affordable health care coverage to millions of Americans through a combination of making low-cost marketplace health plans available to low-income people in states that have yet to expand Medicaid, permanently increasing federal funding for Medicaid in the U.S. Territories, and extending increased subsidies for individuals to buy marketplace coverage nationwide.

North Carolina Legislature Leaves More Than 372,400 North Carolinians without Access to Health Coverage

November 16, 2021
North Carolina

RALEIGH, NC – November 16, 2021 – Late yesterday the North Carolina Legislature released their final budget that failed to include provisions to increase Medicaid eligibility in the state, despite the recent financial incentives of $1.2 billion in federal funding for the state if such action was taken.

Idaho’s Legislature Stands to Jeopardize the Health of Thousands of Residents and Undermine Proven Public Health Strategies

November 15, 2021
Idaho

BOISE, Idaho—Nov. 15, 2021—Idaho’s legislature will reconvene this week to challenge vaccine requirements. As leading national public health organizations, whose top priority is the safety of those with cancer and other chronic illnesses, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), the American Lung Association and The Leukemia &

Over 150 Patient and Health Care Groups Urge Congress to Pass DIVERSE Trials Act

November 15, 2021
National

More than 150 organizations representing patients, providers and health equity advocates sent a letter to Congress today urging them to pass the Diversifying Investigations Via Equitable Research Studies for Everyone (DIVERSE) Trials Act into law.

Access to Health Care Resources

ACS CAN Supports the DIVERSE Trials Act (H.R. 5030/S. 2706)

September 2, 2021

The DIVERSE Trials Act (H.R. 5030/S. 2706) could increase racial, socioeconomic and geographic diversity in clinical trials and make it easier for all cancer patients to participate. 

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Telehealth for People Living with and Beyond Cancer

November 9, 2020

Telehealth visits that enable providers to deliver clinical services from a distance using options like video conferencing and remote monitoring can provide cancer patients and survivors with a convenient means of accessing both cancer care and primary care.

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Cancer Biomarker Testing

July 22, 2020

Advances in precision medicine have led to targeted cancer therapies that have improved patient outcomes and quality of life within populations of cancer patients with very specific biomarkers. Testing patients for cancer biomarkers is integral to identify those who may benefit from targeted therapy. Despite the importance of such testing, many cancer patients are not tested for biomarkers. This fact sheet highlights recent advancements in targeted cancer therapies and data from ACS CAN Survivor Views surveys of cancer patients and survivors assessing barriers to biomarker testing.  

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