Increasing and Protecting Access to Medicaid

Share

Research consistently shows people without health insurance are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at later stages, when the disease is harder to treat, more costly and patient outcomes are poorer. Yet Medicaid provides almost 80 million people in America health coverage to get regular check-ups to stay healthy, see a doctor when they are sick, detect diseases like cancer early to give them the best chance of surviving, access medications and treatments they need, and go to the hospital in an emergency. 

We are working to protect and expand access to Medicaid for people impacted by cancer across the country. 

Any cuts to Medicaid funding could jeopardize essential care for people with cancer and make it harder for many to receive cancer screenings to help diagnose cancer early. 

Additionally, we are working to expand Medicaid in the remaining 10 states that have not increased access to their Medicaid programs.  Going to the doctor is much cheaper than going to the emergency room. And, for a family, preventing cancer is much less expensive than treating it. 

We know how to save lives from cancer.  And we know how to save money on health care costs. Ensuring that low-income working families have access to affordable health insurance – especially during tough times – is an important first step.  

  

Medicaid provides critical, affordable health coverage to millions of children, seniors, people with disabilities, and other low-income individuals and families in America, including countless cancer patients and survivors.

Take Action

woman with serious expression posing and staring at camera, black and white image

Tell Your Senators: Vote NO on affordable health care cuts.

 The recently passed U.S. House bill is an all-around disaster for affordable health care, drastically slashing Medicaid funding and increasing health insurance costs for everyone. Urge your Senators to vote NO on these affordable health care attacks today.

Latest Updates

May 30, 2025
Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A broad coalition of 10 Tennessee advocacy organizations including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) will hold a news conference in front of the offices of Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty on Tuesday, June 3, at 11 a.m. at the Fred D. Thompson

May 28, 2025
Iowa

This letter was initially published in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. If you qualify for Medicaid, you’re one cancer diagnosis from financial hardship. Medicaid is health care and cancer care for 677,000 low-income Iowans, so I can’t understand why Rep. Ashley Hinson is talking about cutting Medicaid. Our state’s

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.

Increasing and Protecting Access to Medicaid Resources

As Congress and the administration consider changes to federal spending that could severely cut Medicaid funding and impact state budgets, some facts are getting lost in the debate.

In 2023 10% of adults with a history of cancer in the U.S. relied on Medicaid for their health care. Access to affordable health insurance is crucial for individuals to receive necessary care, especially for those with chronic conditions like cancer. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network opposes cuts to the Medicaid program, as these cuts will make it harder for many people to receive preventive services and cancer screenings, cancer treatments and health care in survivorship.

ACS CAN opposes per capita caps, block grants, and other capped funding structures for the Medicaid program, as they endanger access to care.