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

November 13, 2026
National

Today, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in a letter to State Medicaid Directors that they would allow a six-month delay in coverage terminations or denials connected to work requirements.

October 28, 2026
National

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), along with 31 partner organizations, filed an amicus c uriae brief with the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in the case of Taylor v. Kennedy .

October 5, 2026
South Carolina

Breast cancer survivor and advocate Meg Kinnard to emcee annual Ann Riley Pink tea event to bring awareness to need for better access and prevention policy in South Carolina.

September 14, 2026
Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. – Sara Sahli was recognized as the country’s top government relations professional by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) in honor of her exceptional work advocating for cancer-fighting public policies. ACS CAN presents the award to a staff person who has consistently demonstrated outstanding

Access to Health Insurance Resources

Having affordable and comprehensive health insurance coverage is a key determinant for surviving cancer.

Cancer patients and survivors must balance reducing their health care costs with ensuring they have comprehensive coverage of services, treatments, and care providers.

Short-term limited duration (STLD) insurance plans do not provide the kind of comprehensive insurance coverage cancer patients need.  These plans were designed only as temporary coverage and are not subject to the same Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements as other health insurance products on the market.  As a result, an enrollee who was attracted to the plan’s lower premiums may find – if they are diagnosed with a serious illness like cancer – that the plan does not cover all of their necessary cancer treatments.  In these cases, the consumer can be left with catastrophic costs.