Health Equity

NCCS represents the millions of Americans who live with, through and beyond a cancer diagnosis. But the cancer experience is not the same for everyone. Gains in cancer survival due to advances in treatment and screening are not shared by all who are diagnosed with cancer.

Outcomes vary significantly based on a number of factors, including race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, health insurance status, and geographic location. According to researchers from the American Cancer Society, a quarter of the approximately 600,000 annual cancer deaths in the United States could be prevented if everyone had access to the same prevention, screening, and treatment.

NCCS works on policy efforts to address health equity and reducing disparities in outcomes. The problem of health equity is complex, as some of the factors that lead to inequity are deeply rooted in social determinants of health and systemic and institutional barriers. Many of the policies that would improve access to care would contribute to reducing disparities. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), including its expansion of Medicaid, has reduced disparities in access to care and mortality rates, compared to states that chose not to expand Medicaid.

“Historically, racial/ethnic minorities, the poor, and the uninsured are less likely to receive evidence‐based cancer prevention and screening, and they are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced disease. Racial/ethnic minorities, the poor, and the uninsured are less likely to receive effective cancer treatment and have poorer survival after diagnosis. A substantial proportion of insured Americans are underinsured, and their access to high‐quality care is also limited. These underinsured populations are also less likely to receive evidence‐based preventive care and, when diagnosed with cancer, they are less likely to receive optimal care, including cancer surgery, radiation therapy, and systemic therapies, and they have poorer survival after a cancer diagnosis. Although some disparities in cancer care by race are decreasing, disparities by socioeconomic status and state of residence are increasing.”Yabroff, K Robin et al. “Minimizing the burden of cancer in the United States: Goals for a high-performing health care system.” CA: a cancer journal for clinicians vol. 69,3 (2019): 166-183. doi:10.3322/caac.21556

NCCS Expresses Opposition to CMS Healthy Adult Opportunity Guidance Permitting Medicaid Block Grants

January 30, 2020

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) earlier today announced a guidance to state Medicaid programs that encourages states to create a block grant program for the portion of their Medicaid program expanded under the Affordable Care Act. The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) opposes the CMS action to permit Medicaid block grants because of their potential negative impact on people with cancer. NCCS issued the statement below [...]

NCCS Statement on ACA Lawsuit Ruling Issued by Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

December 19, 2019

The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) notes that the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its opinion in the case of Texas v. United States, a case challenging the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In a 2-1 opinion, the Fifth Circuit upheld the decision of the District Court for the Northern District of Texas that found the ACA individual mandate unconstitutional. However, the appellate court remanded the case to the District Court for additional [...]

NCCS Joins Coalition of Organizations Urging Congress to Extend the Medical Expense Deduction Permanently

December 6, 2019

The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) joined with AARP and 47 other organizations in letters to the House and Senate asking Members to co-sponsor the Medical Expense Savings Act, which is bipartisan legislation that would make permanent the 7.5 percent threshold for the medical expense deduction. This deduction provides an important tax relief for many patients which helps offset the high costs of cancer care. [...]

Health Care Roundup: ACA Open Enrollment and “Junk” Insurance; E-Cigarette Ban; Integrative Oncology; FDA Breast Implant Warning; More

November 22, 2019

Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Healthcare.gov marketplace is in full swing. After major technical glitches, in addition to cuts to enrollment marketing and assistance, the number of enrollees is down this year from past years. As the Washington Post reports, the administration is also redirecting some Healthcare.gov users to private insurance exchanges that sell “junk” health plans — short-term limited duration plans that do not include [...]

Health Care Roundup: Drug Pricing Bill Advances; ACA Open Enrollment & Premium Data; Cancer Overdiagnosis; “Medicaid Haves and Have-Nots”; More

October 25, 2019

House Drug Pricing Bill Advances Out of Committee – The biggest health care news this week was the approval by the House Ways and Means Committee of H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act — Speaker Pelosi's drug pricing bill. The bill advanced along party lines, with opponents citing a recent report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) that said the plan would harm drug innovation and reduce the number of new drugs coming to the [...]

Health Care Roundup: Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness; More on “Junk Insurance;” Reviewing Effects of California’s Surprise Billing Law; More

October 4, 2019

Ads Offering Bare-Bones Coverage are Everywhere – This Axios article highlights the growing trend of plans being advertised across the internet as “Trumpcare” plans. The problem? “Trumpcare doesn’t exist, and many of these advertised plans offer bare-bones coverage.” "It's impossible to expect consumers to discern between the good guys and the con artists," said Sabrina Corlette, a health insurance researcher at Georgetown University. "And [...]

NCCS Survivorship Survey: Cancer Survivors Share Their Top Concerns

September 15, 2019

As part of its Elevating Survivorship initiative, NCCS fielded an online survey to understand cancer survivorship experiences and needs across a range of cancer patients. NCCS and our partner patient advocacy organizations promoted the survey to our constituents, and 1,380 cancer survivors responded. Some of the key findings include [...]

Health Care Roundup: Cancer Care Planning Bill Introduced; Drug Pricing Measures Advance; Rural Hospitals Struggling in States that Did Not Expand Medicaid; More

August 2, 2019

On July 23, the Cancer Care Planning and Communications Act (CCPCA), H.R. 3835, was reintroduced in the House of Representatives. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) and Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA), co-chairs of the Congressional Cancer Survivors Caucus. The CCPCA is NCCS’ top legislative priority as it would increase access to comprehensive cancer care planning for millions of Medicare beneficiaries. If implemented in Medicare [...]

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Health Equity

NCCS Expresses Opposition to CMS Healthy Adult Opportunity Guidance Permitting Medicaid Block Grants

NCCS Statement on ACA Lawsuit Ruling Issued by Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

NCCS Joins Coalition of Organizations Urging Congress to Extend the Medical Expense Deduction Permanently

Health Care Roundup: ACA Open Enrollment and “Junk” Insurance; E-Cigarette Ban; Integrative Oncology; FDA Breast Implant Warning; More

Health Care Roundup: Drug Pricing Bill Advances; ACA Open Enrollment & Premium Data; Cancer Overdiagnosis; “Medicaid Haves and Have-Nots”; More

Health Care Roundup: Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness; More on “Junk Insurance;” Reviewing Effects of California’s Surprise Billing Law; More

NCCS Survivorship Survey: Cancer Survivors Share Their Top Concerns

Health Care Roundup: Cancer Care Planning Bill Introduced; Drug Pricing Measures Advance; Rural Hospitals Struggling in States that Did Not Expand Medicaid; More

NCCS Warns HHS Reorganization Could Harm Cancer Patients and Slow Research

NCCS Endorses Bipartisan ROCR Act to Reform Medicare Payments for Radiation Therapy

NCCS Welcomes Lisa Montez and Stephen Whisnant to Board of Directors

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