With Access to Affordable and Quality Healthcare for All

It seems as though there is often a threat to our efforts to maintain access to quality and affordable healthcare. Cancer patients and survivors are at risk for losing their coverage through the insurance companies who can then deny coverage due to pre-existing conditions, drop a patient or raise their rates due to their diagnosis.

Cancer patients are terrified over the costs of cancer. They are at risk for losing their job due to treatment scheduling and the side effects. There are couples who have lost their homes, cars and sometimes their marriage. There are single mothers who have lost both their jobs and their apartment. The jobs that provides their resources for daily living and also covering their health –

The Affordable Care Act changed the needs of the patient with access to quality healthcare and financial protection for millions. However, as the battle wages on in Washington, DC by the politicians who are determined to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act – there are many of us who are not going to sit back and see how it goes.

The alternative previously presented was the American Health Care Act which would make a tremendous cut to Medicaid leaving over 30 million individuals without insurance. In addition, it will not protect those with pre-existing conditions. The budget that was recently proposed included:

• cutting over $818 billion from Medicare over 10 years
• putting a cap on Medicaid and taking away $1.5 trillion over projected spending (10 years)
• cutting federal health spending by $659 billion (10 years)

There were a number of patient advocates, doctors, medical students, and other professionals who joined alongside the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship to let our local and state political leaders know the importance of the Affordable Care Act. Advocacy is such an important part of our mission. It is a matter of life or death and we demand access to affordable and quality healthcare for all!