December 2015 Advocacy Update

Cancer Research, Prevention & Early Detection
 

Increased NIH Funding Likely with 2016 Appropriations Bill

Congress is working toward completion of an omnibus appropriations bill that will likely be finalized in mid-December. Thanks to all the hard work of ACS CAN volunteers and staff across the country, we are well-positioned to see an increase in research funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Cancer Institute (NCI) in a final bill as well as a continuation of level funding for cancer screening and prevention programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additional details will be provided next month after work on a final fiscal year 2016 appropriations bill is likely complete.

Congress Reauthorizes Breast Cancer Research Postage Stamp

The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation on Dec. 1 to reauthorize the Breast Cancer Research Semipostal Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2015. The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Representatives Jackie Speier and Cynthia Lummis in the House, renews congressional approval for the breast cancer research postage stamp, which has raised $80.4 million for breast cancer research since its creation in 1998. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Mike Enzi introduced the Senate version of the legislation which passed the Senate by unanimous consent on Sept. 22.

Costing 60 cents, 11 cents above the current letter rate, the special stamp provides first-class postage for letters in the United States.  The additional revenue helps fund breast cancer research at NIH and the Medical Research Program at the Department of Defense. This legislation reauthorizes the stamp through 2019 with proceeds funding federal breast cancer research in areas such as early detection and prevention as well as research into the bio-markers that precede the development of breast cancer.  

ACS CAN coordinated with the sponsoring offices to pressure House leadership to bring the bill to a vote before Congress adjourns for the year and Sen. Feinstein contributed a guest post on my Cancer Candor blog to promote the legislation. ACS CAN volunteers mobilized by sending emails, tweets and Facebook posts to Members of Congress urging them to support the bill.

State & Local Activity

• The city council of Port Lavaca, Texas recently passed a comprehensive smoke-free ordinance, which includes e-cigarettes.  Soon after its passage, however, a bar owner gathered sufficient signatures to suspend the ordinance and refer it for a public vote.  ACS CAN actively supported the “yes” campaign with targeted calls and mailings and voters ultimately endorsed the measure overwhelmingly.

• A smoke-free measure passed by a comfortable margin in Farmington, Missouri and will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2016. Despite the inclusion of e-cigarettes, ACS CAN was unable to endorse the measure because it exempts private clubs and cigar bars. Farmington’s location as a gateway to the more conservative southern portion of the state, make it an important hallmark in the smoke-free movement. We and our coalition partners will continue to work with the city to help draft measures with language that avoids confusion and lack of compliance.

ACS CAN Hosts National Summit on Health Equity

ACS CAN hosted the National Summit on Health Equity in St. Louis, Missouri. The event, held Nov. 10, convened leaders in business, technology, academia, public policy, community organizing and patient advocacy to discuss key drivers and essential strategies for achieving equity for cancer patients during a period of rapid change in the health care system.

Speakers from a range of disciplines discussed barriers to health equity and explored solutions for addressing it. Topics included bridging the digital divide and improving health literacy; clinical trials enrollment; access to care, prevention, the Affordable Care Act (ACA); tobacco use and disparities; and survivorship-transitions and economics. American Cancer Society senior vice president of prevention and early detection Rosie Henson recently shared her thoughts on the summit and in particular, the issues of tobacco use and health disparities in a Cancer CANdor guest blog post.

ACS CAN Drug Formulary Study Finds Problems Still Exist

On Nov. 18 ACS CAN released a white paper on coverage of cancer drugs in silver marketplace plans in six states – California, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington. Our study examined 66 different plan formularies to determine coverage, cost-sharing and transparency for 22 cancer drugs.  In general, our research found that while coverage transparency has improved since our first review of this issue in 2014, transparency and coverage issues remain.  For example, cost-sharing structures presented in plan formularies did not match those presented on marketplace websites nearly half of the time. Also, plans continue to place most or all oral chemotherapy medications on the highest cost-sharing tier, presenting transparency and cost barriers for patients. Our fact sheet details other key findings. 

ACS CAN Files Antidiscrimination Comments

ACS CAN filed comments  on Nov. 9 in response to the Department of Health and Human Service’s (HHS) proposed rule implementing section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act which prohibits discrimination in certain health care programs.  ACS CAN’s comments focused on the need for HHS to provide greater clarity regarding what constitutes a discriminatory benefit design, particularly as it relates to individuals with serious and chronic diseases such as cancer.  As our formulary paper demonstrated, we are seeing an increasing number of cancer drugs being placed on the highest formulary tier.  In promulgating the final rule, we urged HHS to be more proscriptive in terms of benefit design features that could be considered discriminatory.

ACS CAN Files Comments on Minimum Value Clarification

On Nov. 2 ACS CAN filed comments with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) supporting its clarification regarding whether employer-sponsored health coverage meets the IRS’ minimum value test.  Under the ACA, large-group and self-insured employer plans are not required to cover the 10 essential health benefits that new plans must cover.  However, these plans must meet certain minimum value requirements.  Technically it is possible for a large-group and self-insured employer plan to meet the minimum value requirement without covering inpatient hospital or physician services.  The IRS proposed to clarify that these plans must cover hospital and physician services.  ACS CAN supported the IRS clarification because we believe that these services are an essential component of any meaningful health care plan. 

ACS CAN Co-hosts Seminar on Nutrition and Physical Activity

On Dec. 10, ACS CAN in conjunction with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), and the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) will host Nutrition & Physical Activity Interventions for Cancer Survivors: A Policy Seminar in Washington, DC. The meeting will draw attention to the growing evidence that a healthy weight, good nutrition and regular physical activity improve health outcomes and quality of life for patients undergoing cancer treatment and reduce the risk of cancer recurrence for post-treatment cancer survivors. Participants will showcase evidence-based community and health care system initiatives and policies to reduce cancer risk and recurrence, increase quality of life and improve cancer outcomes and overall health throughout the survivorship journey.