Increased Access to Medicaid

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Photograph of a breast exam with a patient and doctor.

Access to Health Care

Where you live should not determine whether you live. But, for millions of low-income Americans, the state they live in could determine if they have access to health services, including cancer care. To date, 40 states and the District of Columbia have increased access to their Medicaid programs, providing over 21 million individuals and families access to health care coverage and to lifesaving tests like mammograms, colonoscopies and other cancer screenings.

We are working in the remaining 10 states to reach the day when everyone has access to affordable health care. Going to the doctor is much cheaper than going to the emergency room. And, for a family, preventing cancer is much less expensive than treating it. 

We know how to save lives from cancer.  And we know how to save money on health care costs. Ensuring that low-income working families have access to affordable health insurance – especially during tough times – is an important first step.  

  

40 states have increased access to health care through Medicaid, helping provide twelve million Americans with access to lifesaving cancer care.

Latest Updates

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New Billboard Calls Attention to Alabama’s Health Coverage Gap and Rural Hospital Closures

November 18, 2024
Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Cover Alabama and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) unveiled a new billboard today near Jackson Hospital, calling attention to the critical need for Medicaid expansion to strengthen health care access and reinforce Alabama’s hospitals. The billboard features the message “Save Jackson Hospital. Expand

Ballot Passage in South Dakota Puts Work Requirements Back on the Table; Voters Reject Measure that Could Have Undone Efforts to Reduce Tobacco Use

November 6, 2024
National

South Dakota voters on Tuesday passed Amendment F, which would change the state constitution to allow for work requirements to be added to the state’s Medicaid expansion program.

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Advocates Urge State Leaders to Expand Medicaid

October 22, 2024
Mississippi

JACKSON, MS – October 22, 2024—An estimated 230 Mississippians will hear the words, “You have breast cancer,” during this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Due to the state legislature failing to pass Medicaid expansion this year, many of them will lack access to the health care they need to treat

Senator Ballweg Receives Award for Championing Lifesaving Cancer Public Policy

October 17, 2024
Wisconsin

Windsor, Wis . – Senator Joan Ballweg met with board members from the American Cancer Society in Wisconsin, Chair Cory Recknor and Korey Feiner, to receive the State Senator of the Year award, one of the most prestigious awards presented by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN),

Increased Access to Medicaid Resources

ACS CAN Comments re: Iowa 1115 Medicaid Waiver

August 9, 2024

Survivor Views: Majority of Cancer Patients & Survivors Have or Expect to Have Medical Debt

May 9, 2024

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.

Comments re: Arkansas Medicaid Waiver Request - Work/Engagement Requirements

July 13, 2023

ACS CAN submitted comments in July 2023 to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expressing grave concerns about Arkansas' request to create work or engagement requirements in Medicaid.