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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The fight to protect Medicaid isn't over.

The House recently passed a bill to drastically cut Medicaid, but it's not over yet. Urge your Senator to VOTE NO and protect Medicaid for cancer patients now.

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Latest Updates

May 21, 2025
Utah

Tuesday, Utah advocates with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) delivered nearly 1,000 petitions signed by constituents to Sen. John Curtis’ district office in Salt Lake City, urging him to protect Medicaid by opposing any cuts to the program. The postcards highlighted how looming cuts to Medicaid would harm Utahns, including working families, cancer patients and survivors, pregnant women, people with disabilities, seniors, veterans and children.

May 19, 2025
National

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on the reconciliation bill this week which includes drastic, $715 billion cuts to Medicaid that will result in at least 8.6 million people losing health insurance coverage, including cancer patients and survivors.

May 14, 2025
Utah

Volunteer advocates with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and the newly-formed Protect Medicaid Utah coalition gathered Wednesday afternoon to oppose work requirements for Medicaid which is currently being considered by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.

May 13, 2025
Pennsylvania

Over 120 volunteer advocates from across Pennsylvania, including cancer survivors, patients and caregivers, convened at the state Capitol yesterday for ‘Cancer Action Day,’ an event hosted annually by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). Advocates met with their state lawmakers and urged them to support policies that aid in the fight against cancer.

Access to Health Care Resources

ACS CAN teamed up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and RIP Medical Debt to conduct a national survey on the impacts of medical debt and high health care costs. Read a summary of the results.

ACS CAN and partner organizations provided comments on the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program: Considerations for Selected Oncology Drugs.

ACS and ACS CAN provided comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on the list of Part D drugs selected for the price negotiation program authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).