|
NEWS For media inquiries, contact: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE LOCAL LAWMAKER, AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CANCER ACTION NETWORK, DISCUSS HEALTH CARE REFORM Congressman John Hall and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network FISHKILL, NY (August 10, 2009) – With health care reform a major concern for most Americans, Congress is considering a variety of proposals to fix our nation’s broken health care system. Today, Congressman John Hall discussed his views on health care reform with Hudson Valley residents at the Vassar Brothers Medical Mall in Fishkill. Representatives of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) illustrated the devastating affect this broken system can have on cancer patients and their families. “People with cancer and their caretakers are acutely aware of the problems with our current health care system. I am working to pass meaningful health care reform so that Americans will no longer be denied insurance coverage based on a pre-existing condition, which has been an unfair barrier for anyone who has had cancer to find affordable coverage. I'm also working in Congress to eliminate annual and lifetime caps on insurance coverage, so that Americans with cancer will never have to endanger their health by cutting treatment short. I commend the American Cancer Society for all the work they do in being a voice for people with cancer and concur that we need to act now to create a sound, stable, and affordable health care system that will provide high quality health care choices to all Americans,” said Congressman Hall. Health care reform and access to care are priority issues for the American Cancer Society because the chances of surviving cancer depend largely on whether a person has health insurance coverage and the quality of that coverage. “A cancer diagnosis presents so many challenges for patients,” said Sandra Cassese, ACS CAN New York State Lead Legislative Ambassador and Vice President of Oncology & Ambulatory Services, Vassar Brothers Medical Center. “Worry about mounting bills and a family’s financial survival shouldn’t be among the issues weighing on their minds. Congress must act now on health care reform – waiting is not an option for America’s cancer patients.” According to ACS CAN, health care reform must include provisions for cancer prevention and early detection. Better access to preventative services like cancer screenings and smoking cessation programs could prevent 60 percent of cancer deaths, or nearly 340,000 people each year. Preventing and detecting cancer early not only saves lives, but reduces the financial strain on our health care system. In order to be most effective, health care reform must be adequate, available, affordable and administratively simple. For more information about ACS CAN and efforts toward health care reform, log onto www.fightcancer.org. ### About the American Cancer Society |