August 2017 Federal Update

Affordable Care Act Replacement – Support development and enactment of legislation which continues the protections for cancer patients and survivors that guarantee access to adequate and affordable health insurance coverage, and cancer prevention screening and services.

Failed Senate Repeal and Replace Vote an Opportunity to Address Nation’s Health Care System on Behalf of Families Affected by Cancer

Washington, D.C.—July 28, 2017—Early this morning the U.S. Senate fell short of the votes needed to pass legislation that would have repealed parts of the current health care law, likely resulting in millions losing health insurance and patients paying more for less coverage.

A statement from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network follows:

“Lawmakers should view this vote as an opportunity to work together in n bipartisan way to strengthen the nation’s current health care system. Senators Collins, McCain and Murkowski should be commended for putting patients before politics and insisting on a more deliberate process that doesn’t lead to a flawed bill that exacerbates rather than addresses the challenges patients continue to face.

“Thoughtful people on both sides of the political divide agree that the current health care law should be amended.  Health care costs are too high, premiums are too expensive for middle-income families and steps need to be taken to stabilize the individual insurance marketplace. Lawmakers must reevaluate their priorities and endeavor a new process where they solicit feedback from all stakeholders, especially the patients whom the law would most effect.

“Having access to adequate, affordable health insurance is essential to our nation’s ability to continue reducing death and suffering from cancer. We stand ready to assist Congress in developing practical, bipartisan solutions that ensure any future health care plan meets the needs of cancer patients, survivors and their families.”

We are currently building a nationwide story bank of patients who have been positively impacted by the passage of the ACA.  Whether they can now get insurance with a pre-existing condition, don’t have to worry about a life time cap on insurance, or any other way the ACA has impacted their lives, we’d love to hear from them.  You can put them in contact with Melissa at [email protected] or 508-270-4683.

Appropriations for Cancer Research – Support substantial funding increases for research at the NIH and NCI annually. In the current fiscal year, ACS CAN is asking for a $36 billion budget for the NIH and a $6 billion budget for the NCI.

On May 23, 2017, the president introduced the proposed Fiscal Year 2018 budget, which included a proposed  $7.1 billion cut for the NIH and a $1.2 billion cut for cancer research funded at the NCI. From now through the fall, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will work to draft and pass their respective budget bills. It will be key during this time that ACS CAN volunteers continue to talk with Members of Congress about the importance of increasing funding for cancer research.

On July 20^th, The House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Committee marked up its FY 2018 spending bill including a $1.1 billion funding increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a $82 million funding boost for the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The bill preserves the individual programs and current funding levels for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cancer screening and early detection programs.

A statement from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) President Chris Hansen included the following:

“The potential to develop new and promising targeted cancer detection tests, treatments and therapies, is reliant on robust and sustained year-over-year federal funding increases. The $1 billion increase allocated for NIH in this bill, along with the continued funding of the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative, is an important step toward spurring continued scientific development and momentum against a disease that 1.7 million Americans will be diagnosed with this year.

“Research is only one part of a comprehensive approach to reducing cancer incidence and death. The importance of early detection is apparent in the committee’s decision to preserve level funding for cancer-specific early detection programs at the CDC rather than cutting or combining such programs into a broad chronic disease category as proposed by the administration.

“Yet the number one preventable cause of cancer in the country remains tobacco use, and the bill passed today cuts the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) by $50 million. If enacted the cut would likely end the CDC’s highly effective Tips From Former Smokers media campaign which has led 5 million smokers to attempt to quit smoking and 400,000 smokers to quit for good. OSH leads federal efforts to reduce tobacco-related death and disease by funding activities that help prevent youth from starting to use tobacco and help adult tobacco users to quit.

“We greatly appreciate the committee’s strong bipartisan commitment to increased cancer research funding and urge the Senate to build on this NIH increase as well as restore OSH funding.”

Patient and Survivor Quality of Life – Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA). Support House and Senate passage of PCHETA, legislation to facilitate access to palliative care and coordinated care management for cancer patients and survivors.

ACS CAN worked with legislative and coalition partners to re-introduce this legislation in both the Senate and the House in late March, 2017.  Currently, 9 Senators and 160 House Members have co-signed the legislation this year.  ACS CAN volunteers are working hard on getting our entire MA federal delegation signed on as co-sponsors.  Currently, Representatives Moulton, McGovern, Tsongas, and Keating have co-signed this legislation.

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection – 80 Percent by 2018 – Support the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act (RBCCSA). Support House and Senate passage of RBCCSA to remove Medicare patient cost-sharing requirements for colonoscopy with polyp removal. Support regulatory changes to provide coverage for the colorectal cancer screening continuum, including follow-up colonoscopy.

ACS CAN worked with legislative and coalition partners to re-introduce this legislation in both the Senate and the House in late February, 2017.  Currently, 27 Senators and 157 House Members have co-signed the legislation this year.

ACS CAN volunteers are working hard on getting our MA federal delegation signed on as co-sponsors.  In 2016, all members of the MA House delegation were signed on as co-sponsors.  Currently, Senators Warren and Markey, and Representatives Kennedy, Neal, Clark, Keating, and Moulton have co-signed this legislation.