2025 Colorado Legislative Priorities

In 2025, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) will work with the Colorado General Assembly on legislative and regulatory efforts that ensure adequate appropriations funding for lifesaving cancer screening programs, tobacco prevention, education and cessation policies that help people who use tobacco products quit and deter kids from ever using tobacco products. We will also educate the General Assembly regarding our goal of extending equitable and adequate access to Medicaid coverage for biomarker testing. Victory in the fight against cancer requires support for existing and bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expand access to new methods of innovative, quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of Coloradans impacted by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease. We will be making the following fact-based policies a priority and ask for your support:

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

• Breast and Cervical Cancer: ACS CAN will advocate to sustain projected constitutionally prescribed funding for the state breast and cervical cancer screening and treatment program for low-income uninsured and underinsured women administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment through the Women’s Wellness Connection. Funding for FY 2025-2026 is projected to be $3 million. These funds are derived entirely from the Amendment 35 tobacco excise tax.  ACS CAN will remain focused on this line item throughout the appropriations process.

Tobacco Control  and Breast & Cervical Cancer Screening – Defending Program Appropriations

• Tobacco Education, Prevention and Cessation Program Funding:  ACS CAN will work to maintain constitutionally and statutorily prescribed funding for fact-based, statewide tobacco prevention and cessation programs.  Program funding is projected to receive $31.3 million in revenue in FY 2025-2026 from the revenue proceeds of the Amendment 35 tobacco tax and the Proposition EE tobacco excise tax.  ACS CAN will remain focused on this line item throughout the appropriations process.

Ensuring Access to Quality Care

• Access to Biomarker Testing: ACS CAN will educate legislators about the merits of Medicaid coverage of comprehensive biomarker testing. Progress in improving cancer outcomes increasingly involves the use of precision medicine, which uses information about a person’s own genes or proteins to prevent, diagnose or treat diseases like cancer. Biomarker testing is an important step to accessing precision medicine which includes targeted therapies that can lead to improved survivorship and better quality of life for cancer patients, but insurance coverage for biomarker testing is failing to keep pace with innovations and advancements in treatment.