One critical approach to reducing health disparities is increasing access to affordable health care. Lisa joined Dr. Lori Pierce, the current President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), to jointly author an editorial for this year’s Urban One Engaging Black America on the importance of removing barriers to care.
We will remain steadfast in our advocacy nationwide to ensure individuals that have been and continue to be marginalized are able to access health care without fear of discrimination, bias or stigma.
If there was ever a time to recognize the necessity of expanding access to meaningful health coverage, it’s now.
ACS CAN is once again uniting with other patient and provider organizations, this time to voice our opposition to proposed changes to Medicare Part D’s six protected classes policy, which could hinder patients’ timely access to lifesaving therapies.
Last week the president introduced a proposal to rein in the cost of prescription medications in the U.S. I commend the administration for prioritizing an issue that so acutely impacts those who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Recently in South Dakota, ACS CAN advocated for legislation to enhance patient access to biosimilar drugs, which offer safe and effective treatment options for many diseases including cancer.
The Maine Legislature passed and delivered bills to expand access to health coverage via Medicaid to Governor Paul Le Page five times over the last several years, only to be thwarted by a veto with each attempt. On this past Election Day, Maine voters finally had their say on the issue and overwhelmingly cast their ballots in favor of increasing access to affordable health coverage for low-income people in their state. The final vote on Maine’s Question 2 was 59 percent for expansion, clearly indicating that residents were in support of the idea.
During a presentation to the Society and ACS CAN on the state of health and wellness in the African American community, Dr. Harold P. Freeman, former Society National Board President and founder of the Harold P. Freeman Patient Navigation Institute, shared his thoughts on reducing disparities and the role of patient navigation.