For the first time, breast cancer patients and their families also have the security of knowing they no longer have to worry about whether they will be able to get the care they need. Why? Because this Breast Cancer Awareness Month coincides with the opening of state health insurance marketplaces created by the health care law.
The American Cancer Society's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Len Lichtenfeld posted a great blog on palliative care recently that I wanted to share with all of you. It explains the differences between end-of-life care and palliative care, and highlights the importance of ACS CAN's work to pass legislation that will increase access to palliative care services for cancer patients and their loved ones.
When Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), inquired about contributing a patient story to a hearing to discuss the progress being made on implementation of insurance market reforms under the ACA, we knew Stacy's story was one the committee needed to hear.
I'm happy to share that starting this week, insurers are required under the Affordable Care Act to present every consumer with a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC), a document with simple and easy-to-read information on what their plan covers and how much it costs.
I've shared my story with many people friends, family, fellow advocates but last week's event in Washington, D.C. was an experience I will never forget.
To quote John Seffrin, chief executive of the American Cancer Society and ACS CAN, today will go down as one of the most important days in the history of the fight against cancer in this country.
When you think of a friend or loved one who is battling cancer, you probably imagine their chemotherapy being administered intravenously at a local hospital. However, modern advances in technology and pharmaceuticals have produced chemotherapy drugs that can be taken orally, in pill form. To date, the FDA has approved more than 40 oral anti-cancer medications for the treatment of at least 54 different types of cancer.
As the second anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) approaches, we decided it was a good time to check in with the call center specialists at the American Cancer Society's National Cancer Information Center (NCIC) to ask them how one aspect of the law the new Pre-existing Condition Insurance Programs (PCIPs) is impacting people with cancer.
Today, when consumers pick a health coverage plan they are given a long document filled with complicated jargon that is virtually impossible for them to understand. An important provision in the Affordable Care Act, known as the Summary of Benefits and Coverage provision, was written to change that.
Today at 2pm eastern time, our own Erin Reidy, ACS CAN's associate director of policy, will answer your questions about Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans (PCIPs). These plans, which are in effect in states across the country, provide adults who have been uninsured for at least 6 months because they were denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition with access to quality, affordable health care. I invite you to join or follow along with the chat here.