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Access to Health Care Press Releases

June 7, 2018

Virginia Becomes 33rd State to Increase Access to Health Coverage through Medicaid

Today Virginia governor Ralph Northam signed into law a state budget that extends health care coverage to an estimated 400,000 low-income Virginians through the Medicaid program. Virginia is now the 33rd state, in addition to Washington, D.C., to accept federal funding to provide health insurance coverage to adults earning less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level—just under $17,000 a year for a single adult. As part of the expansion, Virginia will require Medicaid recipients attend school, work, partake in job training or engage in some kind of community engagement for upwards of 80 hours a month in order to receive benefits. This requirement could pose significant challenges to cancer patients and survivors.

May 22, 2018

Patient Safety in Jeopardy Under Senate Right-to-Try Proposal

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), Friends of Cancer Research (FOCR), and the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) along with more than 100 advocacy groups representing millions of patients submitted a letter to Members of the House of Representatives strongly opposing the Senate Right-to-Try Act (S. 204).

April 20, 2018

Proposed Short-Term Health Plan Rule Would Weaken Patient Protections and Split Insurance Market

oday the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) submitted comments to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on proposed changes to rules governing short-term, limited duration insurance plans (STLD). The comments detail how the proposed rule could divide the individual insurance market and significantly weaken patient protections, leaving cancer patients and survivors with few meaningful or affordable coverage choices.

March 22, 2018

FY 18 Budget Prioritizes Medical Research and Cancer Prevention

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed an FY 18 federal budget, which includes; a $3 billion increase for medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—the largest such funding increase in 15 years; and a $275 million increase for the National Cancer Institute (NCI). 

March 6, 2018

Proposed Association Health Plan Rule Could Split Insurance Market and Unravel Patient Protections

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) submitted comments to the Department of Labor regarding proposed changes to rules governing association health plans (AHPs). The comments detail several ways the proposed rule could divide the individual insurance market and significantly weaken patient protections leaving cancer patients and survivors with few meaningful or affordable coverage choices.