WCOE: Bipartisan Health Care Deal Details; Fertility Banks Underused by Young Male Survivors; Cancer Stress; High Drug Pricing; and More
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Drug Pricing NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention. “The Senate’s new Obamacare stabilization deal, explained” – By Dylan Scott, Vox.com — We have an Obamacare stabilization deal. Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander, who had been working with Democratic Sen. Patty Murray for the past few months, announced it this afternoon. This would be […]
NCCS’ Ellen L. Stovall Award Reception Recognizes Two Individuals Advancing Patient-Centered Cancer Care
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News NCCS NewsThe National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) presented its second annual Ellen L. Stovall Award for Innovation in Patient-Centered Cancer Care last night in Washington, D.C. After a nationwide competition, a distinguished selection committee chose this year’s winners, Pat Coyne, MSN, of the Medical University of South Carolina and Meg Gaines, JD, of the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Mr. Coyne was nominated by […]
ACA Update | October 13, 2017 – Trump Administration Cuts Off Cost-Sharing Payments, Signs Executive Order to Undermine the ACA
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsAfter the actions President Trump took this week, there’s no question the Administration is actively working to undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Yesterday, the President signed an Executive Order making sweeping changes to the ACA that would hurt patients and disrupt the ACA marketplace and he announced the Administration would halt cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments. NCCS is alarmed by the efforts to undermine […]
NCCS Position Statement on Actions to Undermine ACA
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsOctober 13, 2017 The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) is alarmed by the actions President Trump took this week to undermine the Affordable Care Act. These decisions are likely to destabilize the individual insurance market and put affordable and adequate health insurance out of reach for millions of Americans. The health and well-being of […]
What Caught Our Eye: Trump Acts to Undermine ACA; Susan Gubar Reviews ‘Cancer Humor’ Books; Life After Cancer; and More
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Care Planning, Financial Toxicity, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions, Quality Cancer Care NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention. “Trump Administration To End Obamacare Subsidies For The Poor” – The Trump administration said Thursday that it would end the Affordable Care Act’s cost-sharing reduction payments designed to help low-income Americans get health care. Not paying the subsidies, health care experts have warned, […]
NCCS Statement on President Trump’s Harmful Health Care Executive Order
/in Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News, Policy Comments Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Health Care Coverage, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS News, Policy CommentsPresident Trump signed an executive order on health care today that directs federal agencies to write rules allowing association health plans and short-term health plans to be created, with neither being subject to the essential health benefit requirements of plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Many independent health analysts […]
ACA Update | October 6, 2017 – The Trump Admin’s ACA Sabotage, a Grass Roots Effort to Counter It, and a Possible New Repeal Threat
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity NCCS NewsAlthough the cancer community was pleased that the harmful Graham-Cassidy bill failed, the Affordable Care Act is still at great risk. Currently, the Administration is actively undermining the ACA by drastically cutting the budget for enrollment, cutting the time period for open enrollment in half, and cutting outreach and navigator budgets. A group of ACA proponents recently banded together to work to help Americans enroll for the health care […]
WCOE: Countering HHS’s ACA Enrollment Suppression, FDA’s Gottlieb on Expanded Access/Right to Try, “Cancer Stories No One Wants to Hear”
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Clinical Trials NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye (WCOE) is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention. — “As ACA enrollment nears, administration keeps cutting federal support of the law” – By Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post — With the fifth enrollment season set to begin Nov. 1, advocates say the Health and Human Services Department has done more to suppress the number of people […]
What Caught Our Eye: Graham-Cassidy Fails; Cancer Survivorship Care Lacking in Primary Care; A Survivor’s Cancer Care Wishlist
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention. “The Health 202: Five lessons from the GOP’s failed effort to repeal Obamacare” – Some Republicans will forever carry a torch for repeal of the Affordable Care Act. But it’s hard to see how the door really opens again in the near future — at least as widely as it has been since the start […]
ACA Update | September 29, 2017 – Repeal Pulled for Now, Trump Admin’s Active Efforts to Undermine ACA Marketplace Ramp Up
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsAs you probably heard, earlier this week Republican leadership acknowledged they did not have the votes to proceed with the Graham-Cassidy bill, after nationwide opposition put immense pressure on key Senators. Thank you to all of you who called, wrote and visited your Members of Congress to explain to them how harmful this bill would be for cancer patients. And thank you for using your voice on social media to share information […]
NCCS Sends Letter to Sen. Finance Committee Opposing Graham-Cassidy ACA Repeal
/in Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News, Policy Comments Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Health Care Coverage, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS News, Policy CommentsThe National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) sent a letter to the Senate Finance Committee in response to a request for public testimony for today’s hearing on the Graham-Cassidy bill that aims to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The bill would erode pre-existing condition protections, which cancer patients and survivors rely on to be […]
ACA Update | September 22, 2017 – Graham-Cassidy Bill: Patient Groups Opposed, McCain Says No, but Threat Continues
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsSenators Graham and Cassidy are working hard to get their bill, known as the “Graham-Cassidy bill,” passed before the September 30th deadline. The Graham-Cassidy bill would eliminate the ACA’s subsidies and the Medicaid expansion and instead gives block grants to states to create their own individual health systems. Nearly every patient group, the American Medical Association, AARP, all 50 state Medicaid directors (NAMD), and insurers agree […]
“Where you live shouldn’t determine whether you live” – A Letter to Sen. Murkowski from the CEO of Triage Cancer
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity NCCS NewsDear Senator Lisa Murkowski, I am a cancer rights attorney who has spent the better part of two decades educating and helping people diagnosed with cancer navigate the health care system. While there are valid complaints about the increasing cost of the individual plans being sold in some state marketplaces, the ACA was game changing for the cancer community. It prohibited insurance companies from denying coverage or imposing exclusion […]
NCCS Joins Cancer Groups to Oppose Graham-Cassidy ACA Repeal in a Letter to Senate Leadership
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News, Policy Comments Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS News, Policy CommentsNCCS joins patient and provider organizations in the Cancer Leadership Council (CLC) in opposing the Graham-Cassidy-Heller Johnson legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The CLC sent a letter to Senators expressing serious concern that the legislation would adversely affect the ability of cancer patients to obtain affordable and adequate insurance coverage and appropriate cancer treatment. Every segment of the cancer patient […]
ACA Update | September 20, 2017: NCCS Facebook Live – Harmful Graham-Cassidy Repeal Bill Breakdown & How You Can Help Stop It
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsEarlier today, NCCS hosted a brief Facebook Live event to break down the most recent developments about the harmful Graham-Cassidy ACA repeal bill and what you can do to help stop it from becoming law.
In the video, NCCS CEO Shelley Fuld Nasso and Policy Manager Lindsay Houff go over the details of this disastrous legislation that would cause millions of Americans to lose insurance coverage and access to affordable […]
What Caught Our Eye: Cassidy-Graham Repeal Bill Analysis; Bipartisan Talks; Improving End-of-Life Care; Biosimilars in Cancer; and More
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Clinical Trials, Financial Toxicity, Health Equity, Palliative Care, Quality Cancer Care NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye (WCOE), September 15, 2017 – “New Graham-Cassidy Bill: A Last GOP Shot At ACA Repeal And Replace Through Reconciliation” – By Timothy Jost, Health Affairs — The fundamental idea of the Graham-Cassidy bill is to terminate the ACA’s Medicaid expansions, premium tax credits, cost-sharing reduction payments, small business tax credits, and Basic Health Program as of 2019 and redistribute the money […]
ACA Update | September 15, 2017: Cassidy-Graham Repeal Plan Is Devastating for Patients—and Is Gaining Support in the Senate
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsWe have been monitoring and reporting on the proposed Cassidy-Graham repeal bill for several weeks, and now its threat is imminent. Yesterday, Senators Cassidy (R-LA) and Graham (R-SC) unveiled their health care plan at a press conference on Capitol Hill. Indications are that the sponsors of the bill are only a couple of votes away and this has moved up on the priority list for Senate Republican leadership to get done in September. […]
ACA Update | September 8, 2017: Bipartisan ACA Hearings Convene; Cassidy-Graham Repeal Plan Looms
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Health Care Coverage, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsDuring two Senate HELP committee hearings this week on stabilizing the ACA market, two panels of insurance commissioners and governors agreed that funding cost-sharing reduction payments were critical in keeping insurers in the marketplace and avoiding premium increases of 20% or more. As we reported previously, CSR payments compensate insurers for the discounts they are mandated under Obamacare […]
What Caught Our Eye: Cassidy-Graham Repeal Plan; Bipartisan ACA Hearings; Financial Issues for Childhood Survivors; IBM’s Watson Not Living Up to Expectations; and More
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Equity NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye (WCOE), September 8, 2017 | What Caught Our Eye is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention. | “Cassidy-Graham: the Obamacare repeal plan McCain is supporting, explained” — The senator who cast the final vote to kill Obamacare repeal is unexpectedly helping to revive that effort from the dead. Sen. John McCain told the Hill Wednesday that he would support a plan […]
ACA Update | August 25, 2017: Bipartisan ACA Hearings in Sept.; Graham-Cassidy Repeal Plan; Zero Counties Remain Without ACA Insurer
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Health Care Coverage NCCS NewsWith only one week left of August congressional recess, NCCS is preparing for a busy September. Senators Alexander and Murray are working on bipartisan health care legislation with the goal of helping stabilize the ACA marketplace and ensuring the law’s cost-sharing reductions (CSR) payments. However, Senators Graham, Cassidy and Heller are still actively pursuing their plan to repeal the ACA. As the Center on Budget and Policy […]
WCOE: Graham-Cassidy Repeal Plan Has Deep Cuts; Bipartisan ACA Hearings Set; Sticker Shock Over Leukemia Drug; New Palliative Care Study; & More
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Disparities in Outcomes, Drug Pricing, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Palliative Care, Quality Cancer Care NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye (WCOE), August 25, 2017 – What Caught Our Eye is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention. – “Cassidy-Graham Would Deeply Cut and Drastically Redistribute Health Coverage Funding Among States,” Via Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) — The Cassidy-Graham plan would have much the same damaging consequences as […]
ACA Update | August 18, 2017 – CBO: Cutting CSRs Would Cost Gov’t $194 Billion, Raise Premiums; Trump Admin Funds CSRs for One Month
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act NCCS NewsAugust recess is typically a quiet time in Washington, but that is not the case this year. Earlier this week, the Congressional Budget Office released an analysis that found that ending cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments, as President Trump has repeatedly threatened, would increase the deficit by $194 billion over 10 years. Cutting the cost-sharing payments would end up costing the government more because insurance companies will […]
What Caught Our Eye: ACA News; Cancer Trials Face Patient Shortage; Acupressure Can Relieve Cancer Fatigue; More on Liquid Biopsies
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Clinical Trials, Payment Reform, Quality Cancer Care, Survivorship Care NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention. “GOP senator meeting with White House on new ObamaCare plan” — Via The Hill — Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said he’s meeting with the White House and the Trump administration “two or three times per week” on a plan to repeal and replace ObamaCare. Cassidy has teamed up with Senators […]
ACA Update | August 11, 2017: A Bipartisan Plan for the ACA; and Insurers Say Uncertainty Is Driving Premium Rate Hikes
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act NCCS NewsIt has been a relatively quiet week on Capitol Hill with Members of Congress on recess and back in their home states and districts. On Wednesday, a bipartisan health policy coalition announced a plan that they will be presenting to Members of Congress to strengthen and stabilize the ACA, pay all the federal subsidies provided under the ACA, and to encourage enrollment in coverage. […]
What Caught Our Eye: Strengthening the ACA; the Harm of Medical Debt; Bone Symptoms After Treatment; and More
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Equity, Quality Cancer Care, Survivorship Care NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention. Affordable Care Act – “Donald Trump Owns Obamacare Now” – Via Vox.com — “We’ve spent months now watching Congress debate and decide the future of the Affordable Care Act. Sometimes, we’ve even done so until 2 am, spending a very late night […]
What Caught Our Eye 8/4: GOP Governors Look to Cut Medicaid, Young Cancer Survivors Struggle Socially, Right to Try, FDA Funding, & More
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Clinical Trials, Health Care Coverage, Palliative Care, Quality Cancer Care NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention. “Republicans in Congress Bypass Trump to Shore Up Health Law” – Via New York Times — Congressional Republicans moved on Tuesday to defuse President Trump’s threat to cut off critical payments to health insurance companies, maneuvering around the president toward bipartisan legislation […]
ACA Update | August 4, 2017: After Repeal Failure, Focus Turns to Cost-Sharing Payments and Market Stabilization
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Equity NCCS NewsSince the “skinny repeal” bill’s dramatic failure in the Senate last week, all eyes have been on critical cost-sharing payments (CSR’s) and market stabilization. The Senate HELP Committee, led by Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-LA) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA), have only weeks to address these issues, before insurance companies make their final decisions on premium rates for 2018 Obamacare plans. In a long-awaited […]
Senate Votes Down Repeal Plan
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsAfter a dramatic week in Washington, the Senate voted last night to reject the “skinny repeal” bill that would have destabilized insurance markets and resulted in 15 million fewer people insured as early as next year. The vote was the third repeal bill the Senate rejected this week. It is not clear what’s next, but for today, we can breathe a sigh of relief that millions of Americans will not lose coverage. In talking to cancer survivors, in person […]
NCCS Statement on Senate’s Rejection of Harmful Health Care Freedom Act
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Health Care Coverage NCCS NewsThe National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship issued the following statement regarding the defeat of the harmful Health Care Freedom Act in the Senate. The bill failed by a vote of 49-51. “The defeat of the so-called Health Care Freedom Act is a long-awaited victory for millions of cancer patients, survivors, their families. It is unconscionable […]
ACA Update | July 27, 2017: Senate GOP Tries “Skinny Repeal,” Which is Still Terrible for Patients
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Health Care Coverage, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsOn Tuesday, 50 Republican Senators voted in favor of a “motion to proceed,” which opened debate on legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The first of three bills brought to a vote for consideration was a repeal and replace bill, or the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). The BCRA failed to pass with three Republicans voting against it. On Wednesday, a partial repeal bill was brought to a vote and failed, this time with […]
ACA Update | July 21, 2017: Despite Public Opposition, ACA Repeal Still Alive; Vote Planned Early Next Week
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsSince January, the health care debate has been tumultuous and unpredictable—and this week was no exception. Four Republican senators announced early in the week that they oppose the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), stopping the bill from moving forward as planned. Thanks to your advocacy efforts here in D.C., the phone calls, emails and letters to your Members of Congress, YOU helped stop this destructive legislation […]
What Caught Our Eye: Health Care Repeal News; John McCain’s Diagnosis & Debate Over Cancer “Battle” Words; Drug Pricing; Cancer Screenings
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Disparities in Outcomes, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye (WCOE), July 21, 2017 – In the Spotlight – “These Americans Hated the Health Law. Until the Idea of Repeal Sank In.” Five years ago, the Affordable Care Act had yet to begin its expansion of health insurance to millions of Americans, but Jeff Brahin was already stewing about it. “It’s going to cost a fortune,” he said in an interview at the time. This week, as Republican efforts to repeal the law known as Obamacare […]
NCCS Statement on Senate’s Latest Health Care Reform Developments
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsThe National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) applauds the failure to pass the harmful Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) in the Senate. BCRA would have been disastrous for millions of older, sick, and low-income Americans. We thank the Senators and governors who made the health care needs of their constituents their top priority. We especially appreciate Senators Susan Collins, Shelley Moore Capito, and Lisa Murkowski […]
ACA Update | July 14, 2017: Updated BCRA Released; 30+ Cancer-Related Groups Join in Opposition
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsYesterday, Senate leadership released an updated draft version of their health care repeal bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). As Andy Slavitt, former acting director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, states, “Trumpcare went from being very bad to unworkably bad.” The bill allows insurers to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions, and to charge higher rates to sick people. […]
NCCS and 33 Cancer-Related Patient Advocacy and Professional Organizations Jointly Oppose Senate’s Revised BCRA
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsSilver Spring, MD – NCCS joined 33 cancer-related patient advocacy and professional organizations in opposition to the Senate’s revised Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). “The Senate’s BCRA, just as the House’s AHCA, is a direct threat to America’s 16 million cancer patients and survivors who rely on timely and uninterrupted access to comprehensive and affordable health care,” said NCCS CEO Shelley Fuld Nasso. […]
NCCS Submits Comments to CMS, Stresses Importance of ACA and Outlines Steps to Strengthen Law
/in Cancer Policy Blog, CMS, NCCS News, Policy Comments Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Drug Pricing, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS News, Policy CommentsNCCS submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to a request for information, in which CMS asked for suggestions to empower patients and promote consumer choice, stabilize insurance markets, and enhance affordability. In our letter, NCCS stressed the importance of the Affordable Care Act, with its pre-existing condition protections, community rating requirements, essential […]
Open Letter to Congress: I Am Alive Because of the ACA (Guest Post)
/in Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsBy Rob DeLorenzo, Cancer Survivor – I am alive because of The Affordable Care Act (ACA). Having affordable and decent medical insurance allowed me to receive treatment for cancer which saved my life. But now you, our elected representatives in Congress, are voting to repeal the ACA and allow insurers to reinstate the pre-existing conditions exclusion, essentially voting for me and millions of others to lose […]
ACA Update | July 7, 2017: Senate GOP Try to Tweak ACA Repeal Bill as Dissent Grows During Recess
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsWhen Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) decided to delay the vote for the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), there was a collective sigh of relief from the patient community. But our work is far from over. The Senate is still planning to move forward with their attempt to pass the bill, and now is a critical time to voice your opposition to this harmful legislation. The most recent Senator to speak out against the bill is North Dakota Senator John Hoeven […]
What Caught Our Eye: Advocates Raise Their Voices Over ACA Repeal; CDC Finds Disparity in Rural Cancer Deaths; Genetic Privacy; and More
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Equity NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention. In the Spotlight: “Local cancer survivor continues to fight, this time for health care” – From KRIS-TV – “I’m not just up there on Capitol Hill for myself, but I’m taking the concerns of our constituents here at home to Capitol Hill as well.” […]
Kirby Lewis: My NCCS CPAT Symposium and Hill Day Experience
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Health Care Coverage, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsThrough my association with Living Beyond Breast Cancer, I was invited to attend a workshop Symposium with the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. The CPAT Symposium was held just steps away from Capitol Hill at the Washington Court Hotel. It was a great, incredibly informative, and intensive 2-day training session. CPAT members hailed from all over the country, with all types of cancer. In total, approximately 65 people […]
ACA Update | June 29, 2017: Senate Health Care Vote Delayed
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsAs you likely heard on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced he would not proceed with a vote on the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) this week, as was previously planned. The BCRA, the Senate’s bill to replace the Affordable Care Act, was released last week in draft form and on Monday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released their report on the bill. […]
NCCS Statement on CBO Report of Senate’s “Better Care Reconciliation Act”
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsWashington, D.C – The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) issued the following statement in response to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis of the Senate’s “Better Care Reconciliation Act” (BCRA). The CBO reported that the BCRA would lead to 22 million more uninsured compared to current law. NCCS advocates from across the country will […]
NCCS CPAT Member Jen Campisano’s Powerful Op-Ed Highlights Senate’s Secretive Health Care Repeal Process
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsI have written before about being misdiagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, about the nearly five years I spent wondering whether I’d get to see my little boy grow up. Last year, my diagnosis was changed to early-stage breast cancer and an autoimmune disease that mimics cancer on scans. I appear to be in remission from both. I don’t know why I got a get-out-of-jail-free card. I’m not sure why I survived when so many of my friends will not. […]
ACA Update | June 23, 2017: The Senate GOP Health Care Repeal Bill Is Worse Than We Thought
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsYesterday, after weeks of working on their health care repeal bill in secret with no hearings, Senate Republicans released a “discussion draft” of their Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2016 (BCRA). After the House passed their bill (called the AHCA), Senators like Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said “The Senate will review the House bill but will write its own version over […]
ACA Update | June 16, 2017: As Negative Analyses Pile Up, Senate GOP Continues Secret Health Care Negotiations
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsAs we reported last week, moderate Republicans in the Senate seem to be caving on their earlier promises to reject any bill that slashes Medicaid funding. Senators Collins and Capito have reportedly stated they would consider a “phasing out” of the Medicaid expansion program. However, lengthening the timeframe for ending the program does nothing to help the millions of people who depend on Medicaid for health insurance, […]
What Caught Our Eye: AHCA Would Cause 50% Rise of Uninsured Children, Crowdfunding Health Care Tragedies, Rare Cancers, and More
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention. In the Spotlight: “New Analysis Finds Uninsured Rate for Kids Would Increase by 50% Under AHCA” – If the Affordable Health Care Act (AHCA) becomes law, the uninsured rate for children would increase by a whopping 50% by 2026 according to a new analysis by the Center on Budget […]
NCCS Joins 120 Patient, Provider, and Consumer Organizations to Oppose Medicaid Cuts and Funding Caps
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News, Policy Comments Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity NCCS News, Policy CommentsThe National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) joined with 120 leading patient, provider and consumer organizations to express grave concerns about potential Senate actions on Medicaid. Together, the groups implored Senate leadership to protect the Medicaid program and oppose efforts to roll back Medicaid expansion or change Medicaid’s funding in a way that would harm patients and consumers. In a letter to both […]
ACA Update | June 9, 2017: Senate Finding Ways to Repeal ACA
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Health Care Coverage, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsThere have been several key developments in the past week, starting with Republican leadership sharing a bill of the Senate’s version of the AHCA at a caucus luncheon on Tuesday. The public has yet to see the language being considered, as there have been no public hearings or input from experts in the health care or patient advocacy space. NCCS understands the bill will likely be quite similar to the House version. […]
What Caught Our Eye: Poor Doctor-Patient Communication; Senate GOP & Medicaid Cuts; Using Cancer “Battle Words;” News from ASCO17
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Care Planning, Disparities in Outcomes, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Quality Cancer Care NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye (WCOE) is our week-in-review blog series. June 9, 2017 | In the Spotlight: Via USA Today — For patients near the end of life, talking about their goals and values can help people avoid unwanted medical interventions, said Dr. Rachelle Bernacki, associate director of the Serious Illness Care Program at Ariadne Labs, a health care research center led by Dr. Atul Gawande. […]
My Takeaway from Hill Visits: Empathy is in Short Supply
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsWith the health reform debate moving to the Senate following passage of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) in the House, I’ve spent the last few weeks meeting with numerous Senate offices on both sides of the aisle. During one such meeting with a Republican Senator’s health policy team, I outlined the many reasons the AHCA would be harmful to cancer patients, survivors, and their families. High on that long list of issues are the […]
ACA Update | June 2, 2017: AHCA is Widely Unpopular, Senate Continues Negotiations
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsDuring meetings with Senate offices this week, NCCS learned that negotiations continue and a consensus on the Senate version of the AHCA has yet to be struck among Republicans in the chamber. However, we also learned alarming news that the Senate version is likely to be very close to the version the House passed in early May. Anything that remotely resembles the AHCA would be catastrophic, and we cannot allow such a […]
What Caught Our Eye: Only 31% View AHCA Favorably, Immunotherapy Hope & Hype, Male Breast Cancer, the Stigma of Lung Cancer
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye (WCOE), June 2, 2017: “Kaiser Health Tracking Poll Shows Americans View AHCA Unfavorably” — With Congress currently discussing the American Health Care Act (AHCA), a plan that would repeal and replace the 2010 health care law, this month’s Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds that more Americans have an unfavorable view of the plan than a favorable one (55 percent vs. 31 percent, respectively). […]
ACA Update | May 26, 2017: CBO Confirms 23 Million More Uninsured Under AHCA, Trump Undecided on 2018 Subsidies
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsThis week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released their analysis on the impacts of the American Health Care Act (AHCA). As expected, the results were devastating. The AHCA would leave 23 million more Americans uninsured by 2026 than under the current law, the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The coverage […]
What Caught Our Eye: ‘Extremely High Premiums’ for the Sick, AHCA News, FDA Aims to Control Rx Pricing, & More
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Care Planning, Drug Pricing, Financial Toxicity, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions, Quality Cancer Care NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention. Via Kaiser Health News — “The Republican overhaul of the federal health law passed by the House this month would result in slightly lower premiums and slightly fewer uninsured […]
NCCS Statement on CBO Report of Revised American Health Care Act
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Care Coverage, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsNCCS today issued the following statement following the release of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report on the updated American Health Care Act. “Today’s CBO report shows what we already knew—that the American Health Care Act (AHCA) would be devastating for cancer patients, survivors, and their families,” said NCCS CEO Shelley Fuld Nasso. “The revised AHCA that was passed by the House […]
NCCS Sends Letter to Sen. Hatch on Health Care Reform Priorities
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, Congress, NCCS News, Policy Comments Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS News, Policy Comments(NCCS) sent a letter to Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, in response to his office’s request for input from stakeholders regarding health care reform. “As the Senate continues to discuss health care reform, and in light of the destructive American Health Care Act passed by the House, we must continue conveying the priorities of cancer patients and survivors,” said NCCS CEO Shelley Fuld Nasso. […]
What Caught Our Eye: AHCA Analysis, Medicaid Caps, Obamacare Helped Early Detection, ESPN’s Holly Rowe, Counseling Improves Care Planning
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Care Planning, Health Care Coverage, Pre-Existing Conditions, Quality Cancer Care NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention. In the Spotlight – Via Modern Healthcare: “Up to 6.3 million people could end up paying substantially higher premiums if a bill similar to the House’s Obamacare replacement becomes law, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.” […]
ACA Update | May 19, 2017: Senate Negotiates their Version of the AHCA, Waits for New CBO Score
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsThis week, NCCS and other patient advocacy organizations met with Senate offices regarding health care reform. The groups explained that the American Health Care Act (AHCA) as passed by the House is a serious threat, and does not in fact protect individuals with pre-existing conditions such as cancer. As we reported recently, the MacArthur Amendment guts protections for pre-existing conditions by allowing states to opt out […]
Young Adult Cancer Survivors Worry What the AHCA Would Mean for Them
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Financial Toxicity, Health Equity, Pre-Existing Conditions NCCS NewsLast 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 […]
What Caught Our Eye: GOP Lawmakers Face AHCA Backlash at Home, A Profile on New FDA Chief Scott Gottlieb, and Survivorship Care Planning
/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog Access to Care, Affordable Care Act, Care Planning, Financial Toxicity, Health Equity, Quality Cancer Care NCCS NewsWhat Caught Our Eye (WCOE), May 12, 2017 – What Caught Our Eye is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention. – “According to the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, at the highest point of all, the 400 households with annual incomes exceeding $300 million apiece, the tax cut would be worth an estimated $7 million.” […]