ACS CAN Strongly Criticizes Governor Cuomo for
Cuts to Life Saving Cancer Services
ALBANY – February 1, 2015 -- On Monday, February 2, 2015 American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Vice-President of Government Relations Bill Sherman will express strong disappointment in a proposal by Governor Cuomo to cut the life-saving New York State Cancer Services Program (CSP) budget by 15 percent and put the program into a consolidated slush fund. In budget testimony Sherman will ask the legislature to restore funding of the program to $25.3 million and to reject the governor’s proposal to put the chronic disease programs into unallocated pools.
“With an estimated 14,900 new cases of breast cancer, 870 new cases of cervical cancer, and 8,010 new cases of colorectal cancer in New York this year, now is not the time to be cutting this life-saving program,” said Sherman. “Detecting cancer at its earlier, more treatable stage can save lives as well as health care dollars, and CSP funds are critical to achieving this goal.”
The CSP provides the opportunity for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screenings to hundreds of thousands of low income women and men who do not have health insurance, or who have health insurance that does not cover the cost of these cancer screenings. ACS CAN, the advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, will be sending a letter to Governor Cuomo asking for a thirty day amendment to restore the funding.
“We want the legislature to be aware that their decisions can literally mean life or death to those living with cancer and those who may be diagnosed in the future. It is projected that some 34,600 people will die from the disease in New York State this year. We cannot sit idly by and accept this,” continued Sherman.
The CSP covers mammograms and clinical breast exams to women ages 40 and older or women under age 40 at high risk for breast cancer. Cervical cancer screenings are available to women ages 40 and older. Colorectal cancer screenings are available to men and women ages 50 and older at average risk for colorectal cancer or under age 50 for those at increased or high risk for colorectal cancer.
This year, it is estimated that more than 1.6 million Americans will be newly diagnosed with cancer and more than 577,000 will die. In New York alone, it is estimated 107,840 people will be diagnosed with the disease. By providing these vital tests, the CSP can help detect cancer even in those who have shown no symptoms, reducing cancer incidences and decreasing health care dollars spent fighting the disease.
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.
After months of delay and hard negotiations, Congress has finally passed a funding bill! The bill includes a small increase for cancer research and prevention programs.