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Economic Downturn Impacts Access to Cancer Prevention and Treatment, According to New Poll
April 27, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- April 27, 2009 -- Four in ten Americans say they would not be able to afford all the treatment and care needed if they were suddenly diagnosed with cancer, and one in five Americans says they are likely to lose their health insurance in the next 12 months, according to a national bipartisan poll released today.
The survey, conducted for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), also found that one in five women says she or a family member in her home has put off getting a cancer screening test in the past year because of cost. Nearly one-third of Americans with household incomes less than $35,000 say they have put off potentially lifesaving screenings such as mammograms or colonoscopies.
The survey also found that 84 percent of voters said they would support access to affordable cancer screenings for all Americans, regardless of insurance status, as a way to improve our health care system.
“Lack of access to quality, affordable health care is a barrier for far too many Americans, and is often a death sentence for people with cancer and other life-threatening chronic diseases,” said John R. Seffrin, PhD, CEO of the American Cancer Society and its advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN. “Congress and the president must enact comprehensive health care reform this year, because the status quo is simply not acceptable.”
Research done by the Society has shown that lack of access to care can lead to later stage diagnoses, and that people with insurance have better chances of surviving cancer than people who are uninsured. Giving all Americans access to quality health care is critical to defeating cancer, which kills an estimated 560,000 people each year.
That’s why ACS CAN is strongly pushing for health care reform this year. ACS CAN is the leading voice of patients in the health care reform debate, having worked with a broad cross-section of stakeholders for the past several years to build momentum for reform nationwide.
“Cancer patients experience all of the major problems in our health care system, including too little emphasis on prevention of disease, lack of access to quality care, and the absence of patient-centered care,” said Daniel E. Smith, president of ACS CAN. “If we can fix the health care system for cancer patients, we will fix it for virtually anyone at risk of contracting a life-threatening chronic disease.”
ACS CAN has developed a set of specific policy priorities that are critical in any comprehensive health care reform plan that include:
* Prevention Transform our current “sick care” system to enhance the delivery of prevention services
* Quality Coverage All Americans must have access to health insurance that is adequate, affordable, available, and administratively simple
* Quality of Life Emphasize patient-centered care to reduce suffering and promote well-being during and after treatment
The poll was conducted April 17-20 among 1,004 registered voters nationwide by Lake Research Partners and American Viewpoint.
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 https://www.fightcancer.org/.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Steven Weiss
Phone: (202) 661-5711
Email: [email protected]
Alissa Havens
Phone: (202) 661-5772
Email: [email protected]
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