Congress: Affordable Cancer Care Can't Wait

Recipients

Your Senators
Your Representative

Contact

*Required fields

* Title:

* First Name:

* Last Name:

* Your Email:

* Address 1:

* City:

* State / Province:

* ZIP / Postal Code:

* Phone Number:

Congress requires a phone number in order to submit your comments.

Yes, I would like to receive periodic updates and communications from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

Remember me. What's this?

Message

* Subject:

Dear [Decision Maker],

As a constituent and volunteer for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), I am writing to urge you to include language in the upcoming reconciliation package that will help people to better access affordable health care by extending the expansion of Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace tax credits, enacting a cap on out-of-pocket costs for people with Medicare Part D plans, and closing the Medicaid coverage gap.

* Personalize your message

In March 2021, the American Rescue Plan provided more generous tax credits for people purchasing health insurance in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. During the 2021 special enrollment period created in response to the COVID pandemic, 2.8 million Americans enrolled in health insurance coverage through these marketplaces. Those who were newly enrolled or returning enrollees after the expanded tax credits were put in place saved an average of 50% in premiums, and nearly half of healthcare.gov customers with a new plan selection were able to select plans for $10 or less per month.

Unfortunately, these expanded tax credits expire at the end of 2022. If Congress does not act, enrollees' premiums will increase by double digit levels, and at least 3 million Americans would lose their health insurance coverage. Please work with your Congressional colleagues to make permanent the more generous tax credits provided for people buying their health coverage through the ACA marketplaces.

Ensuring Medicare enrollees have a cap on prescription drug costs is also critical. As it stands today, there is currently no cap on out-of-pocket costs in Medicare Part D, nor any "smoothing" mechanism to help even out the high upfront costs that must now be paid early in the year. Cancer drugs are often extraordinarily expensive, and this provision to limit consumer out-of-pocket costs to no more than $2000 per year and the "smoothing" mechanism that would spread costs throughout the year to make them more predictable for the consumer are important priorities that must be addressed in the upcoming reconciliation package.

In addition, since passage of the Affordable Care Act, 38 states and the District of Columbia have expanded eligibility for Medicaid to all people in their states with low incomes. But 12 states still have not expanded their programs. As a result, an estimated 2.2 million low-income adults who would benefit from Medicaid if their state expanded coverage are now in the "coverage gap," uninsured and unable to access affordable health insurance. Research shows that Medicaid expansion helps improve cancer outcomes, reduces health inequities, and lessens the burden of cancer by offering access to prevention services, timely cancer screening, and early detection services. Please work to provide sustained, affordable, adequate health insurance coverage to people in the coverage gap.

Thank you for considering these requests, and for all you do for people with cancer and their families.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Your Email]