Cancer patients need meaningful health insurance coverage that will help them access lifesaving care when they need it. That means access to health plans that cover essential care, maintain a sufficient provider network, and cap out-of-pocket spending at a reasonable level, as required by various public policies that are currently in place. But because those policies are under threat, policymakers must take steps to ensure that cancer patients continue to have access to quality, affordable insurance that meets these basic standards.
Policies that promote “junk insurance” penalize people with pre-existing conditions. Because such plans are exempt from many important consumer protections, they often do not cover even essential care like prescription drugs and require enormous cost-sharing when patients need access to care. Since these plans provide far fewer benefits, premiums are often lower relative to traditional, comprehensive coverage. ...
As the nation’s public health insurance program for low-income children, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities, Medicaid covers 1 in 5 Americans. Enrollees have access to screening and preventive care, which translates into well-child care and earlier detection of health and developmental problems in children, earlier diagnosis of cancer. Researchers have determined that states that expanded Medicaid experi...
“Someone with insurance shouldn’t have to spend weeks fighting with their insurer while they are in the middle of their cancer treatment.”
- Sam B., Illinois, Lymphoma Survivor & Advocate