Increasing and Protecting Access to Medicaid

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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

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Urge your Senators to vote NO on Medicaid cuts.

“There’s so much stigma around Medicaid, but the reality is, it’s a lifeline.” Support cancer patients like Josh by urging your Senator to vote NO on an upcoming bill that will kick nearly 11 million people off of their health insurance and raise health care costs for everyone.

Latest Updates

June 6, 2025
Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa – Today, Governor Reynolds signed a bill that threatens to repeal Medicaid expansion – putting critical health care for more than 180,000 Iowans at risk. This law will do grave harm to the health and well-being of our state. Iowa Medicaid serves as a lifeline for

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.

Increasing and Protecting Access to Medicaid Resources

ACS CAN and Manatt Health estimated the amount of coverage loss and funding losses that would be caused if the House-passed budget reconciliation bill became law. 

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.