2024 North Carolina Legislative Summary

Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expand access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of North Carolinians impacted by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease.

In 2024 the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) worked with the North Carolina General Assembly on legislative and regulatory efforts that provide affordable, adequate access to health insurance including Medicaid, ensure adequate funding for lifesaving cancer screening and prevention programs, and enact prevention policies to protect kids from tobacco products and help support those who are trying to quit. 

Ensuring Access to Quality Care

• Access to Biomarker Testing: ACS CAN advocated for improved 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 better diagnose and 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.
• Reduce Patient Medical Debt: ACS CAN recognizes the impact of medical debt on people with cancer, caregivers and their families. In addition to supporting policies that ensure affordable access to comprehensive healthcare coverage, ACS CAN continued to advocate for policies that prevent the occurrence of medical debt and reduce the impact of incurred medical debt on individuals and families.
• Affordable, Adequate Health Insurance: ACS CAN continued to advocate for policies that ensure access to quality, affordable and comprehensive health insurance including Medicaid and will support efforts to curb the availability of inadequate health plans.

• Prescription Drug Access: ACS CAN advocated for legislation that ensures prior authorization requirements for prescription drugs are clear, efficient and patient-friendly while also allowing for exceptions when appropriate.

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

• Breast and Cervical Cancer: ACS CAN advocated to maintain funding of $1,607,452 for the Breast & Cervical Cancer Control Program (BCCCP), the state breast and cervical cancer screening and treatment program for low-income uninsured and underinsured women administered by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
• Remove copays for cancer screenings: ACS CAN advocated for legislation to eliminate cost sharing for follow-up cancer screening tests that are needed after an abnormal result and supplemental screening needed for some individuals who are above average risk.

Cancer Research Funding

• Research Appropriations: ACS CAN continued work to protect/increase appropriations to support scientific research on cutting-edge treatments.
• Comprehensive Cancer Control Program Funding: ACS CAN advocated to protect/increase appropriations for state comprehensive cancer control programs.

For more information, contact John Broome, North Carolina Government Relations Director | 336-707-6614 | [email protected]

ACS CAN is making cancer a top priority for public officials and candidates at the federal, state, and local levels. ACS CAN empowers advocates across the country to make their voices heard and influence evidence-based public policy change as well as legislative and regulatory solutions that will reduce the cancer burden. As the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN is critical to the fight for a world without cancer. For more information, please visit www.fightcancer.org.