Health Insurance Affordability

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Access to affordable health insurance is a key factor for surviving cancer. Individuals who are uninsured or who cannot afford the out-of-pocket costs for their insurance are less likely to get screened for cancer and therefore less likely to survive a cancer diagnosis.  

Through the Affordable Care Act, those with lower incomes who purchase health insurance plans on the Marketplace receive tax credits to help make plans more affordable.  The tax credits were later expanded to provide more individuals with financial assistance to help them afford their health insurance plans. 

These enhanced tax credits led to record enrollment in Marketplace plans and have provided millions with a path to affordable, comprehensive coverage to be able to prevent, detect and treat cancer. Unless Congress acts and makes the ACA enhanced tax credits permanent, affordability will become a barrier to lifesaving cancer screening, early detection, treatment and follow-up care, with costs skyrocketing for more than 24 million people.  

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Man looking frustrated with his home finances

Tell Congress: Renew health care tax credits now!

Health care tax credits set to expire at the end of 2025 are making health insurance affordable for millions. Without them, 4.2 million people, many with chronic conditions like cancer, will not be able to afford their insurance.   

Latest Updates

October 14, 2025
North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. - More than 2.5 million North Carolinians had over $6.5 billion in medical debt relieved this week, fulfilling the promise of the state’s plan to engage hospitals in a program to relieve medical debt and institute policies to prevent patients from incurring additional debt. By participating,

July 3, 2025
National

Following U.S. House passage of the budget bill containing the most devastating cuts to Medicaid in history and changes to the ACA Marketplace that will make it more expensive and difficult to obtain and keep health insurance, ACS CAN expresses deep disappointment and urges Congress to extend the enhanced ACA tax credits.

May 27, 2025

For over 20 years, Ali spent much of her time caring for others as a nurse and a single mother of two. When Ali started feeling ill in 2021, she knew her symptoms were indicative of a larger issue. Ali voiced her concerns to her doctor but was dismissed. What

May 12, 2025

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee released a budget proposal late last night that would drastically slash funding for Medicaid by $715 billion. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that these cuts will result in at least 8.6 million people losing coverage with no access to affordable health insurance options.

Health Insurance Affordability Resources

This factsheet provides information on how the enhanced ACA tax credits help states. 

This factsheet provides background information on how the enhanced ACA tax credits benefit those in rural communities. 

This factsheet seeks to debunk some of the misinformation that has been made about the enhanced ACA tax credits.