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Access to Health Care

ACS CAN advocates for policies that provide access to treatments and services people with cancer need for their care - including those who may be newly diagnosed, in active treatment and cancer survivors.

Access to Health Care Resources:

Annual Medicaid Renewals are back. During the pandemic, Congress changed the rules to allow for continuous coverage protections for Medicaid enrollees. This helped people keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll during a tough and uncertain time in our country. 

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

  • During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

  • During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

  • During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

  • During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

  • During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

  • During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

  • During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

What does unwinding continuous coverage have to do with Medicaid expansion?

  • During the pandemic, Congress put in place continuous coverage protections to ensure that Medicaid enrollees were able to keep their health coverage without needing to re-enroll.

Prescription Drug Affordability Resources:

Biological drugs, commonly referred to as biologics, are a class of drugs that are produced using a living system, such as a microorganism, plant cell, or animal cell. Like all drugs, biologics are regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

For an individual with specific health care needs – like cancer patients and survivors – the drugs covered by a health plan and corresponding cost sharing for each drug is important information when choosing health insurance. However, to make an informed choice, formulary information must be disclosed to the individual.

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Private Health Insurance Resources:

This factsheet provides information on how the enhanced ACA tax credits help states. 

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (NBPP) for plan year 2026.

This factsheet provides background information on why Congress must act swiftly to extend the enhanced ACA tax credits. 

In our latest survey, cancer patients and survivors overwhelmingly support extending financial assistance for people who purchase health coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace by a margin of nearly 12 to 1 (72% support, 6% oppose). The survey also finds 43% would not be able to afford their plan without the enhanced tax credits, 30% would skip or delay medical care to reduce expenses, and 24% would accumulate medical debt to afford their care.

More than 2 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer this year and more than 18 million Americans living today have a history of cancer. Having comprehensive and affordable health insurance coverage is a key determinant for surviving cancer.

More than 1.9 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer this year and more than 18 million Americans living today have a history of cancer.[1] For these individuals finding the right doctor is one of the most important factors in t

On Thursday, March 30, 2023, Judge O’Connor released a final opinion on remedies in Braidwood Management vs.

Cancer patients and survivors must balance reducing their health care costs with ensuring they have comprehensive coverage of services, treatments, and care providers.

Medicare Resources:

Earlier screening for cancer is important because when detected at later stages, treatments are more limited, and outcomes are generally poorer. Medicare enrollees should have access to multi-cancer screening tests when the benefit is clinically shown.

Cancer patients and survivors must balance reducing their health care costs with ensuring they have comprehensive coverage of services, treatments, and care providers.

The incidence of cancer increases with age and thus the Medicare program is vitally important to millions of Americans who are undergoing active cancer treatment, are cancer survivors or who have not yet developed cancer.

ACS CAN Comments to Seema Verma, Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

ACS CAN submitted comments on the Medicare Part C and D Rule.

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Medicaid Resources:

ACS CAN submitted comments regarding Tennessee's latest application to renew their 1115 waiver.

ACS CAN submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding its 2022 Request for Information on Access to Coverage and Care in Medicaid & CHIP. Our comments address suggested improvements in Medicaid enrollment and eligibility determination, transitions of coverage, national standards for access to care, and the eventual end of the public health emergency and continuous coverage provisions.

ACS CAN submitted comments in support of the renewal of Oregon's 1115 Medicaid waiver, including the state's proposal of continuous coverage provisions for children and adults. However, ACS CAN strongly objects to the state's proposal to limit Medicaid coverage of drugs approved through the accelerated approval process, and urges CMS to reject this part of the waiver request.

ACS CAN submitted comments opposing Tennessee's proposal to fund its Medicaid program through a block grant and implement a closed formulary.

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