A big thank you to our ACS CAN team and volunteers who make our success possible!
A message from ACS CAN President Lisa Lacasse
In just the first three months of the year, ACS CAN’s team and volunteers around the country have done tremendous work to advance our cancer priorities. Congress finally passed the FY 24 appropriations bill on March 23, which included increases to funding for cancer research and prevention. Our tremendous grassroots advocacy was powered by our outstanding volunteers directly contacting Members of Congress 124,526 times via email, phone calls, and tagging them on social media to advocate for our priorities related to FY24 funding! ACS CAN’s social media channels generated 860,000+ impressions and our Fight Cancer: Make Time appropriations-focused ad campaign was successful, driving 32 million impressions and 92,000+ clicks to our website.
We are proud that our campaign and grassroots efforts yielded mission impact through increased funds for cancer research and cancer programs including:
- A $300 million increase in funding for the NIH’s base budget, including a $120 million increase in discretionary funding for the NCI.
- A $500,000 increase for CDC cancer screening and prevention programs.
- Level funding for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) at $1.5 billion.
- At NIH, a first-time appropriation of $12.5 million in dedicated funding for the development of palliative care research and a new $6 million initiative for Improving Native American Cancer Outcomes.
- Within the Department of Defense, $110 million for the Prostate Cancer Research Program.
Amidst a difficult budget year, we are pleased to see Congress meet this pivotal moment to ensure lifesaving treatments and advancements continue by building on our nation’s fiscal commitment to the fight against cancer. A big thank you to our ACS CAN team and volunteers who made this success possible!
Though the progress made towards reducing the cancer burden is undeniable, much work remains. Ahead of the President’s State of the Union Address last month, we asked the Administration to finalize the FDA’s proposed rules to eliminate menthol in cigarettes and all flavors in cigars as continued delays put more lives at risk. I was pleased to see the President renew his commitment to ending cancer as we know it, for everyone during his address. We share the President’s belief that cancer priorities including the Affordable Care Act, supporting veterans exposed to toxins, and prescription drug access are as crucial as ever. However, we know that ending cancer as we know it will take more than commitment; now is the time to act. We will continue to push until the FDA’s rules are finalized.
March also marked the 14th anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, for which ACS CAN was a leading advocate. To mark the occasion, we urged Congress to preserve the critical patient protections guaranteed by the ACA by maintaining access to cost-free preventive care and making enhanced Marketplace subsidies permanent before their expiration date at the end of the next year.
In March I also had the honor of participating in a briefing on Capitol Hill, hosted by ACS CAN and US Pharmacopeia focused on drug shortages. Although not a daily headline anymore, ACS CAN continues to keep this critical patient access issue visible in order to push toward long-term policy interventions that will create solutions. We heard from panelists including ACS CAN’s Mark Fleury, PhD, Principal, Policy Development - Emerging Science, who shared important insights. As we know from ACS CAN’s Survivor Views Survey, one in ten cancer patients in active treatment have been impacted by drug shortages. Alongside our partners who are part of a drug shortage task force, we are committed to advocating for solutions that prevent future shortages and improve access to critical medicines for all patients.
I am looking forward to the work that’s to come in April and I appreciate your continued commitment.
As part of ACS CAN’s ongoing commitment to making cancer care affordable for everyone, ACS CAN's 2024 Forum on the Future of Health Care on May 9th will focus on alleviating the burden of medical debt many cancer patients, survivors and their families face.
Please register to join us in-person or virtually.
In Case You Missed It:
ACS CAN Represented at Protecting Our Care in the Courts Panel
ACS CAN participated in Protect Our Care’s panel discussion on Protecting Our Care in the Courts, highlighting three key legal battles that threaten Americans’ health care: Braidwood v. Becerra, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, and the cases seeking to overturn the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. Mary Rouvelas, Managing Counsel and Legal Advocacy Director at ACS CAN spoke on the Threats to Preventive Care Panel, and was joined at the event by Former Solicitor General of the United States Don Verrilli and other leading legal, economic, and health experts. Watch the replay.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated’s Annual Delta Days in the Nation’s Capital
ACS and ACS CAN hosted a panel on “Addressing the Cancer Burden in the Black Community” at the 35th Annual Delta Sigma Theta, Incorporated Delta Days in the Nation’s Capital event. Tawana Thomas Johnson, ACS Senior Vice-President and Chief Diversity Officer spoke at the event as well Tammy Boyd, JD, ACS CAN Vice President, Federal Advocacy and Strategic Alliances, to a group of over 1,200. The panel focused on advocating for public policies at the federal level to help reduce disparities in cancer and improve health outcomes for Black Americans. Ashley Etienne, former Communications Director to Vice President Kamala Harris, served as our moderator, and executives from the National Medical Association and Pfizer were featured speakers on the panel.
Congressional Briefing: Cancer and Obesity
ACS CAN hosted the Congressional Briefing: Cancer and Obesity with the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA). Dr. Elena Rios, President & CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA), moderated the virtual briefing. Rep. Ruiz, Raul (D-CA-25), gave opening remarks. Presentations were delivered by Dr. Lauren Teras, Senior Scientific Director, Epidemiology Research American Cancer Society; Dr. Pascale C. Jean, Assistant Director for Nutrition and Health Cancer Moonshot Project, Health Outcomes Division, OSTP, The White House, and others.
State Updates
Indiana Expands Critical Access to Biomarker Testing
ACS CAN celebrated Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb's signing of SB273 into law, requiring public and private insurers to cover biomarker testing. Indiana is the 15th state to expand access to this critical testing that is helping extend and improve lives by tailoring care and treatment to a person’s specific type of cancer. ACS CAN will continue working with lawmakers to remove barriers to precision treatment.
West Virginia Senate Rejects Flawed Biomarkers Legislation
ACS CAN applauds the West Virginia Senate for rejected flawed biomarker testing legislation, which was supposed to allow West Virginians to access the testing they need but fell short of this goal after amendments that stripped the bill of any meaningful improvement in access. ACS CAN and 36 other organizations opposed the legislation.
Alabama Passes Legislation to Protect Access to IVF
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed legislation into law that will protect access to IVF, allowing some clinics to resume treatment immediately. Fertility preservation care is essential for more than two-thirds of adolescents and young adults newly diagnosed with cancer, and ACS CAN is glad to see Alabama take this step toward preserving access to this critical care.
Florida Legislature Takes Critical Step to Expand Access to Biomarker Testing
The Florida legislature passed a bill expanding access to biomarker testing, a key tool used by healthcare providers to provide patients with targeted cancer therapies. The bill requires coverage for biomarker testing when supported by scientific and medical evidence under Florida Medicaid and state employee health insurance plans. We urge lawmakers to push further to require coverage for the private market. ACS CAN will continue working with lawmakers to secure access for all Floridians.
Georgia Legislature Holds First-Ever Hearing on Medicaid Expansion
The Georgia Senate Regulated Industries Committee held a hearing on Medicaid expansion, the first time the Georgia legislature has held a hearing on this topic. Legislators from both parties expressed substantial support for the prospect of building on existing progress made towards closing the coverage gap in Georgia. Over the past month, ACS CAN put out digital, video, and radio ad content advocating for measures to close the coverage gap, which generated over 3 million impressions statewide. ACS CAN is well-positioned heading into the 2025 legislative session, and will continue working with our partners on the ground in Georgia, including Georgia First and BRIDGE coalition, to push this work forward.
Idaho Postpartum Bill
Legislation that would extend Medicaid coverage for up to 12 months postpartum passed the House and the Senate and is awaiting signature by the Governor. This is a positive step toward improving the health outcomes of women and their children. Ensuring individuals and families have access to health coverage for a full year postpartum is a critical
Federal Updates
ACS CAN Praises Advancement of Critical Legislation to Improve Access to Breast and Cervical Cancer Screenings in the House
The House Energy and Commerce Committee marked up the Screening for Communities to Receive Early and Equitable Needed Services (SCREENS) for Cancer Act, bipartisan legislation that would reauthorize the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) through 2028 and continue to expand access to expand access to critical breast and cervical cancer screenings and treatment in underserved and underinsured communities nationwide. The Senate version of the bill, S.1840, was marked up by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in late 2023. ACS CAN urges Congress to pass this legislation to help reduce the unequal cancer burden and save more lives.
Biden Cancer Moonshot Announces Expanded Coverage for Patient Navigation
The Biden Cancer Moonshot announced the expansion of coverage for patient navigation services in plans from seven health insurance companies, as well as actions being taken by more than 40 cancer centers and community oncology practices across the country to help patients be reimbursed for these critical services. ACS CAN advocated for reimbursement for non-clinical navigation in Medicare, which took effect on January 1, 2024, a meaningful first step toward expanded and sustainable access to critical services for patients with cancer and other serious illnesses. Patient navigation can help reduce barriers to care, and the President’s announcement takes us further towards increasing access to it.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Finalizes Rule to Prohibit Asbestos
The EPA announced a final rule to prohibit use of asbestos, a known cancer-causing agent. ACS CAN applauded the EPA for taking a first step to ban asbestos in the U.S. We continue to urge Congress to pass the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2023, that would protect Americans from all types of asbestos.
Legislation Supporting Indian Health Service
We are continuing to work to elevate the voices of Indigenous and Tribal communities. As part of the FY 24 appropriations bill, we were pleased to see legislation that provides $10.88 billion for Tribal programs across the Department of the Interior and the Indian Health Service. Congress also cleared its second minibus appropriations package (H.R. 2882), which included funding for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The legislation provides $6,000,000 for the creation of an Initiative for Improving Native American Cancer Outcomes to support efforts including research, education, outreach, and clinical access related to cancer in Native American populations. The agreement further directs the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) to work with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to locate this Initiative at an NCI-designated cancer center demonstrating partnerships with Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations to improve the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of cancers among Native Americans, particularly those living in rural communities.
Advocacy in the News
• Bloomberg Law: Obamacare Case Threatens Sweeping Loss of Preventative Care
• CBS Mornings: Partisan Gridlock in Congress contrasts with bipartisan efforts in some statehouses
• The Lancet: Alabama Supreme Court’s “extrauterine children” decision alarms oncologists and fertility experts
• El Nuevo Herald: We Must Increase Access to Cancer Screenings in Florida (Spanish)
• WRTV IN: Governor Holcomb signs bill that will require insurance to cover biomarker testing
• WV Watch: Biomarker testing bill fails, Cancer Society hopes to try again
• Telemundo: Giant Lungs At The Missouri Capitol Aim to Raise Awareness About Cancer (Spanish)
• Denver Post: Colon cancer is increasing in younger Coloradans even as death rate drops for people over 55
• PBS: Mississippi is closer than ever to expanding Medicaid. What are the barriers?
