Coronavirus and Cancer Resources for Survivors
Cancer survivors have expressed concerns and questions about COVID-19, the coronavirus, and how they may be at higher risk due to their cancer history. Here are some resources about COVID-19 generally, and its impact for cancer survivors specifically. NCCS is seeking answers from public health experts on the coronavirus and its impact on cancer patients and survivors. Please leave a comment [...]
Young Adult Cancer Survivors Worry What the AHCA Would Mean for Them
Last month, I had the honor of speaking at CancerCon, an incredible gathering of 650 adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors, their caregivers, and health care providers and advocates from across the country. Along with Kelsey Nepote, NCCS Advocacy Manager, and Kate Houghton, CEO of Critical Mass, we presented “From Patient to Advocate – Using Your Voice to Make Change.” We talked about the journey from [...]
ACA Update | May 5, 2017: AHCA Passes in House, Now Faces Major Obstacles in Senate
Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA), including an amendment authored by Congressman Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) and brokered with members of the Freedom Caucus, which would allow states to opt out of providing essential health benefits and community rating. Essential health benefits (EHBs) are ten services the ACA requires insurers to include in all plans, such as hospitalization [...]
NCCS Joins Cancer Organizations to Express Opposition to the American Health Care Act
NCCS joined with patient advocacy organizations in the Cancer Leadership Council (CLC) in submitting a letter to Congressional leaders…
Poor Amendments Cannot Fix A Bad Bill
By Ben Fishman, NCCS Board Member—Three years ago this week, a specially-trained neurosurgeon opened up my scalp, and for next 12 hours, he delicately resected as much of a golf-ball sized tumor as possible without permanently damaging the area of my brain that controls speech and fine motor skills. The fact that I can type this article on a normal keyboard and read it aloud is a testament to the doctor’s skill. Without him, or the team who supported the procedure [...]
ACA Update | April 28, 2017: AHCA 2.0 Is Released (Worse for Patients than the Original Bill)
As we previously reported, the American Health Care Act (AHCA) – the effort to replace the Affordable Care Act – was not even brought to a vote in the House of Representatives before the spring Congressional recess. Members of Congress confirm that advocates who opposed the AHCA were key to the failure of the original bill. Earlier this week, the full text of an amendment to the AHCA was published and is now being considered [...]
ACA Update | April 21, 2017: House GOP Readies a Revised Health Care Bill
“Healthcare is not dead, we’re still working on it.” – Paul Ryan | During recess this week and last, Members of Congress continued to hear from constituents at town hall events where a major focus has been on health care and backlash against efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, the conservative House Freedom Caucus has been working with moderate Republicans to come up with an amendment to add to the [...]
ACA Update | April 14, 2017: Town Hall Headlines, Cost-Sharing Subsidies, the “Death Spiral”, and Trump’s Final “Market Stabilization” Rule
Although Members of Congress are on recess this week and next, talks of ACA and its future continue. Grassroots support of the ACA has made headlines again at town hall events across the U.S. during this recess. CBS News reports on several town hall meetings, where Republican lawmakers faced intense criticism for their position the American Health Care Act (AHCA). The Hill reports that some Members of Congress are [...]
ACA Update | April 10, 2017: New GOP Proposal Would Undermine Pre-Existing Condition Protections
As talks of repeal and replace quickly resurfaced after the downfall of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), Republican’s newest proposals are even more devastating for cancer patients than the AHCA would’ve been. The newest Republican health care proposals would eliminate even more patient protections, including the essential health benefits that require insurers to cover services such as chemotherapy, hospital visits, [...]
ACA Update | March 31, 2017: The Fight to Protect the ACA Is Far From Over.
Last week at a press conference after the American Health Care Act (AHCA) was pulled from the House floor, Paul Ryan said, “The ACA is the law of the land for the foreseeable future.” But this week lawmakers signaled that the fight is far from over. Republican leadership vowed to restart negotiations for repealing the ACA. While Republicans might try to resurrect repeal and replace, they could in the meantime focus on [...]
ACA Update | March 24, 2017: Speaker Ryan Withdraws the AHCA
Today, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan withdrew the American Health Care Act (AHCA) when it became clear that he did not have the votes to pass it. In his press conference, he said that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the “law of the land for the foreseeable future.” The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) strongly opposed the AHCA, which would have harmed millions of Americans, including cancer patients and [...]