Status of Cancer-Fighting Programs Should Be Included in State of the State

Statement from Blair Horner, Vice President for Advocacy, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) of NY & NJ re: Gov. Cuomo’s State of the State Address.

“We estimate that more than 109,000 New Yorkers received a cancer diagnosis in 2012, with more than 35,000 residents dying from the disease. That’s nearly 300 diagnoses and nearly 100 deaths each and every day.  Given the devastation caused by cancer, Gov. Cuomo’s State of the State Address should review the state’s cancer-fighting initiatives and what New York will do to reduce the prevalence of this deadly disease.  Critically important cancer-fighting measures include:

Health Benefit Exchange – New York’s Health Benefit Exchange is in the process of being built, thanks to an Executive Order from Gov. Cuomo.  More than 2 million uninsured New Yorkers could be able to purchase health plans through a health insurance exchange. An exchange will help ensure that cancer patients have unrestricted access to high quality, affordable, adequate health insurance coverage that is simple to navigate and easy to understand. Nearly 10 percent of cancer patients are uninsured at the time of diagnosis. ACS CAN will continue to monitor implementation of the exchange to ensure that it will effectively serve cancer patients.  

Tobacco-Fighting Efforts – Upstate New York experiences higher smoking rates and, as a result, higher lung cancer rates. Curbing smoking is the best way to reduce lung cancer.  New York reaps nearly $2.5 billion in revenues from tobacco but spends little to help smokers quit and keep kids from starting to smoke. A recent report by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and its tobacco-fighting partners ranked New York 21st (NY ranked 5th four years ago) in the nation for its efforts. The state’s tobacco control program must be better funded.

New York State Cancer Services Program (CSP) - The CSP provides free breast, cervical and colon cancer screening to the uninsured and underinsured. Funding for this life-saving program must be maintained. Even with implementation of the Affordable Care Act, this program will be necessary to serve vulnerable New Yorkers. 

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network hopes that Gov. Cuomo will see the cancer-fighting value of these programs and discuss them in his State of the State message.”

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About the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.