As the daylight hours grow longer here in D.C., and we begin to feel the warmth of spring this month, I encourage everyone to prioritize their mental and physical well-being while we continue our work for cancer patients and their families. The developments coming out of Washington these first 100 days have been numerous and changing rapidly. With the busy activity on Capitol Hill and in state legislative sessions, the ACS CAN team has been working at full speed. I am grateful for my dedicated colleagues who recognize the criticality of this moment and the role ACS CAN continues to play in protecting access to affordable health care and ensuring future cancer breakthroughs for millions of people in the U.S.
Last night, during a joint session address to Congress, President Trump elevated increased childhood cancer incidence rates over past decades. In response, we affirmed our commitment to working with our childhood cancer coalition partners, the administration and Congress to drive further progress in the fight against cancer. We stressed that the most effective pathways are through sustained and robust government investment in cancer research and prevention and ensuring access to affordable, comprehensive health care.
This past month, Congress kicked off its budget process, ushering in increased threats to Medicaid. In anticipation, we proactively launched a targeted advertising campaign and activated our grassroots network to send messages and call their lawmakers, urging them to oppose any cuts to a program that serves 1 in 10 adults with a history of cancer and 1 in 3 children who are diagnosed. However, on February 25th, the House voted to advance a budget reconciliation blueprint that included instructions for the House Energy & Commerce Committee to identify $880 billion in savings, setting the stage for deep cuts to Medicaid.
We are disappointed by this outcome, but the fight continues, and we're encouraged by the passion of advocates nationwide. The work of our volunteers in activating against Medicaid cuts has been incredible! Volunteers have sent nearly 40,000 emails, made over 6,000 calls, and had almost 300 in-district meetings or drop-bys to offices. Our ads featuring Milly, a mom and attorney from Oklahoma who was able to fight her breast cancer diagnosis due to Medicaid, have generated 3.7 million impressions in targeted districts. We will continue to elevate patient voices to demonstrate the devastating impact that reducing access to health insurance through Medicaid cuts would have on millions of lives.
Along with our Medicaid campaign, we have launched advertising and a volunteer action urging Congress to pass the FY25 funding bill, including robust cancer research and prevention funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We also continue to urge Congress to extend enhanced tax credits for Marketplace health insurance plans and build bipartisan, bi-cameral co- sponsorship for the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act.
While ACS CAN works to protect access to affordable, quality care and advocate for increased funding for cancer research, we've been analyzing executive actions and meeting with research institute and center directors to understand potential and real-time patient and overall oncology ecosystem impact. We are reaching out to critical administration roles once they are confirmed to open dialogue and elevate opportunities to collaborate on our critical cancer mission. As we navigate and evaluate proposals with an eye toward evidence-based action, we are working fervently to raise our voice strategically so we can reduce the impact of any decisions on cancer patients, survivors, and their families and – as it pertains to the importance of continued research that will drive innovation – the impact on future patients and survivors.
ACS CAN has issued statements on the record:
Jointly with Research!America and other advocacy organizations urging the Senate Appropriations Committee to prioritize robust funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the FY 2025 appropriations bill.
We are grateful for your role in helping us execute our strategic, integrated, and intentional 100-day federal campaign, along with impactful state campaigns. Thank you for your ongoing engagement with the cancer community as we work to understand the flurry of executive activity. I look forward to our impact together in the months ahead.
Lisa
Survivor Views: ACS CAN recently released findings from its Survivor Views cohort of cancer patients and recent survivors that found that cancer patients and survivors strongly support maintaining funding for Medicaid and protections for preexisting conditions and that choice in treatment modality is overwhelmingly important to cancer patients and survivors.
Celebrating Women's History Month: March is a time to honor the contributions of women throughout history. This March, we are honored to celebrate the 2025 theme of "Moving Forward Together: Women Educating and Inspiring Generations" by highlighting women who are champions in the fight against cancer and have dedicated their lives to leadership. Follow along on our social channels for more throughout the month.
Judicial Updates
Preventive Services: ACS CAN led an amicus brief filed at the U.S. Supreme Court on February 25th for 33 patient and physician professional organizations in the case of Braidwood Management v. Kennedy. The case is critical to our mission as the U.S. Supreme Court will determine whether the provision of the Affordable Care Act that requires most private insurers cover services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force without cost sharing is constitutional. The case could affect the ability of over 150 million people to receive colon, cervical, and lung cancer screenings, as well as tobacco cessation services. Our brief provided extensive scientific data on how preventive services save lives and are cost-effective, featuring original research by ACS.
Immigrant Access to Health Care: ACS CAN led amicus briefs in two different lawsuits defending the ability of immigrants to the U.S. to access health care services by enrolling in comprehensive insurance plans. The first argued that enrollment in Medicaid should not adversely affect an immigrant's legal status in the U.S. under the "public charge" rule in Texas v. Mayorkas. The second argued that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients should be able to enroll in Affordable Care Act exchanges. Unfortunately, the cases are now on hold as the new administration is reconsidering the underlying rules that allowed such coverage.
Federal Updates
Alliance for Childhood Cancer Action Days:
Thirty-eight ACS CAN volunteers joined 350 other cancer patients, survivors and family membersVarious ACS CAN photos in front of Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. with groups of people in front of the buildings. from 39 states and D.C. in the nation's capital for the 15th Annual Alliance for Childhood Cancer Action Days, a two-day event organized by the Alliance for Childhood Cancer, of which ACS CAN is a member. Participants asked lawmakers to continue funding the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access and Research (STAR) Act to improve the quality of life of childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families. They also asked lawmakers to support the Accelerating Kids' Access to Care ACT, the Creating Hope Reauthorization Act, and the RARE Act. Additionally, the Alliance urged Congress to continue to make strong investments in the National Institutes for Health and the National Cancer Institute to help advance discoveries in the fight against childhood cancer.
MCED Legislation Reintroduced in the House and Senate Aimed at Increasing Early Cancer Detection in Medicare: The Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act would allow Medicare to cover MCED tests, once approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and clinical benefit has been shown. With 320 House and 65 Senate sponsors, MCED was the most supported bi-cameral and bi-partisan health care legislation during the 118th Congress. For the 119th Congress the House bill (HR 842) has 99 sponsors and the Senate bill (S.339) has 14.
PSA Screening for HIM Act Introduced in the House: On February 13th, the Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening for High-risk Insured Men (PSA Screening for HIM) Act was introduced in the United States House of Representatives by Reps. Neal Dunn, M.D. (R-FL) and Yvette Clarke (D-NY) with Representatives Greg Murphy (R-NC) and Troy Carter (D-LA) as cosponsors. The legislation is aimed at eliminating financial barriers to prostate cancer screenings. A week prior, Senator John Boozman (R-AR) introduced S. 297, the PSA Screening for HIM Act in the United States Senate, along with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ). This bipartisan legislative proposal would waive cost-sharing requirements for men with the highest risk of prostate cancer, focusing on those with a family history of the disease. For men who have a family history of prostate cancer, a diagnosis is twice as likely compared to the average population. If this bill passes, individuals at an increased risk of developing prostate cancer would be able to receive prostate cancer screening without deductibles, copayments, or coinsurances.
FY25 Appropriations: Congress is running out of time to agree on a path forward for Fiscal Year 2025 spending, with the current continuing resolution set to expire on March 14th. ASC CAN is continuing our campaign urging Congress to pass an FY25 spending bill with the highest possible funding increases as soon as possible. As part of our campaign efforts, ACS CAN ran ads urging Congressional action, continues our digital campaign work and will lead a lobby day on March 6th through our One Voice Against Cancer (OVAC) coalition.
Responding to Executive Actions Related to Cancer Research: In response to recent executive actions that would jeopardize progress in cancer research, ACS CAN released a press statement on the impact of cuts to cancer research, One Voice Against Cancer (OVAC, which is chaired by ACS CAN) released a statement on the impact of cuts to cancer research, and ACS CAN signed onto a community letter requesting a funding boost for NIH and referencing concerns with changes to policies that would impact grant funding for research institutions.
Policy Update
On February 10th, ACS CAN and the American Cancer Society (ACS) submitted a comment letter on the Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. This report is used by the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture to update the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). The DGAs are important because they form the basis of all federal nutrition policies and programs, inform many state and local nutrition initiatives, and inform the general public on how to maintain a healthy diet. For people who do not use tobacco, diet, body weight, physical activity and alcohol intake are the most important modifiable cancer risk factors.
State Updates
In February, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee's budget was released, and the $2.6 million JUUL settlement funds for FY26 were allocated to the Department of Health's Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Program. This was a direct result of our lobbying last year and work with the AG's Office, the Department of Health, and the Governor's Office to ensure settlement funds would be dedicated to efforts to reduce the tobacco burden in the state.
In Montana, HB245, Medicaid reauthorization legislation, continues to see success. The bill passed the State House and Senate and is headed to the governor's desk. This bill would remove the sunset provision, protecting Medicaid in Montana for years to come.
North Dakota's co-pay accumulator legislation, HB 1283, successfully passed the State House with a strong vote of 69 to 22. This victory follows the removal of harmful amendments proposed by insurance groups. The bill will now be moved to the State Senate for further consideration. ACS CAN testified in support of the bill, and we will collaborate with allies such as the local chapters of Rare Diseases and Bleeding Disorders, as well as Susan G. Komen, to advocate for its approval in the Senate. The proposed legislation would require all state-regulated health policies to eliminate patient out-of-pocket costs for medically necessary diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging. It would require breast diagnostic mammograms (x-rays), breast ultrasounds, and breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to be covered at no-cost-share when deemed medically necessary by their physician.
In Idaho, the Medicaid repeal bill that challenged the new House bill proposal, which would roll back Idahoans' access to care, was killed after overwhelming opposition. Broad opposition to this bill, HB 138, came from state residents who voted to initiate Medicaid expansion, business leaders, economists, health care providers, professionals, and advocates from across the spectrum of disciplines, including cancer care, children, and mental health. ACS CAN is grateful that lawmakers heard those voices and decided to end what was a clear effort at Medicaid expansion repeal.
Advocacy Updates
- The Hill: Trump's move to slash research funding shakes medical community
- NBC: They were told to get extra breast cancer screenings. Then they got stuck with the bill.
- ABC News: Cancer research group calls on Trump administration to restore data access
- KFF Health News: Across the South, Rural Health Care Has Become 'Trendy.' Medicaid Expansion Has Not.
- AP: Advocates push for Medicaid expansion in holdout Alabama
- Fox Local Phoenix: Cancer Day of Action at the Arizona State Capitol
- Oklahoma News 4: OK Cancer Action Day at the OK State Capitol
- Spectrum News: Advocates call for paid family and medical leave reform in New York
- KLEW Idaho: House Bill 328 looks to cut Medicaid Expansion costs, replacing House Bill 138
- Fresno Bee: Opinion: Fresno Must Ensure Stores Don't Sell Tobacco Products to Youth
