Share

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:

This factsheet seeks to debunk some of the misinformation that has been made about the enhanced ACA tax credits.

This factsheet shows how the enhanced ACA tax credits have benefitted historically marginalized communities. 

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.

ACS CAN has long fought for public policies that support the availability and affordability of medically necessary prescription drugs. 

Having affordable and comprehensive health insurance coverage is a key determinant for surviving cancer.

Our latest survey finds that about half of cancer patients and survivors (49%) have incurred medical debt to pay for their cancer care and another 13% expect to incur medical debt as they begin or continue their treatment. Nearly all of those (98%) had health care coverage at the time they accumulated medical debt. This survey also explores the broad health and financial implications of medical debt, how medical debt deepens inequites, and the alarming rate of cancer related medical debt among younger respondents with early diagnoses.

A critical factor for eliminating disparities and ensuring health equity is the guarantee that all people have access to quality, affordable health care.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) believes everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. No one should be disadvantaged in their fight against cancer because of income, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, or where they live. From preventive screening and early detection, through diagnosis and treatment, and into survivorship, there are several factors that influence cancer disparities among different populations across the cancer continuum.

Prescription Drug Affordability Resources:

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.

  •  

Medicare Resources:

ACS CAN offered comments on the following proposals:

ACS CAN offered comments on the following policies:

On Monday, April 29th, ACS CAN submitted comments in response to CMS' Medicare Prescription Payment Plan model notices. 

 

This ACS CAN chartbook provides cancer-specific data related to Medicare, including basic information about the program, a discussion of its components, characteristics of enrollees, coverage of services – specifically those related to prevention and screening – program expenditures and enrollees

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) along with partners appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Patient Navigation provisions of CY2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

Costs and Barriers to Care Resources:

Current federal law has several provisions that help prevent individuals and families from experiencing gaps in their health insurance coverage.  Coverage gaps can delay necessary care, which is particularly detrimental to cancer patients and survivors.  Preventing gaps in coverage is a crucial patient protection that must be maintained in our health care and insurance system.

Current federal law provides life-saving coverage of cancer prevention and early detection services and programs.  These provisions are crucial to reducing the incidence and impact of cancer in the United States.  They are also crucial in helping cancer survivors remain cancer-free and lead healthy lives.

The health care law has several provisions that help prevent individuals from experiencing gaps in health insurance coverage, including the requirement that private health insurance plans allow dependents to remain on their parents’ insurance until age 26.  This provision is important for keeping survivors of childhood and young adult cancer insured, and helps to ensure young adults receive preventive services and screenings.  This provision is a crucial patient protection that must be a part of a health care system that works for cancer patients and survivors.

Consumers need access to health insurance policies that cover a full range of evidence-based health care services – including prevention and primary care – necessary to maintain health, avoid disease, overcome acute illness and live with chronic disease.  Any health care system that works for cancer patients must have standards ensuring that enrollees have access to comprehensive health insurance.

Current federal requirements prohibit most insurance plans from limiting both the lifetime and annual dollar value of benefits.  This ban is one of several important patient protections that must be part of any health care system that works for cancer patients.

 

 

  •  

Medicaid Resources:

ACS CAN submitted comments supporting the Rhode Island Medicaid program providing coverage to justice-involved populations and housing and nutritional supports to enrollees. 

ACS CAN submitted comments supporting Colorado's request to amend it's 1115 Medicaid waiver to establish continuous eligibility for children up to age 3, and other policies.

ACS CAN submitted comments to CMS in support of Pennsylvania's application for an 1115 Medicaid waiver to provide continuous eligibility to children, provide targeted coverage to justice-involved populations, and provide housing and nutrition supports to Medicaid enrollees.

ACS CAN submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services supporting Hawaii's proposal to provide continuous eligibility for Medicaid to children through age 6, and 2-year eligibility ages 6-19. We also supported their proposal to provide pre-release services to justice-involved individuals.

ACS CAN submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in support of Minnesota's request to provide continuous eligibility for Medicaid to children up to age 6, and 12-month continous eligibility to 19- and 20-year-olds.