American Cancer Society Releases 2010 Scorecard
The American Cancer Society, California Division today released a review of California state legislative activity on important cancer-related legislation in 2010. Although people often think of cancer breakthroughs being in the realm of the laboratory, public policy has had a significant, beneficial impact on the cancer landscape. There are opportunities to support improvements in policy across the cancer continuum from increasing cancer prevention to improving treatments and access to them and improving the quality of life for survivors and patients.
“Almost everyone has been touched by cancer,” explained Jim Knox, Vice President for Legislative Advocacy. “Nearly one in out of every two Californians born today will develop cancer at some point in their lives. With those kinds of numbers, it behooves our elected officials to remain vigilant about the way their work can help or hinder the effort to decrease those numbers.”
Last year, nine of fourteen bills supported by the American Cancer Society and passed by the state legislature were signed into law. The majority of those new laws are a part of California’s effort to implement the federal Affordable Care Act. California led the country in making sure the provisions of the law, many of which will help cancer patients, become reality. Of particular interest to the American Cancer Society was legislation establishing California’s Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, since a cancer diagnosis often makes insurance completely unavailable or exorbitantly priced for people purchasing insurance on their own, and the Health Insurance Exchange, which will be the administrative vehicle that makes buying insurance easier and more affordable. The American Cancer Society believes these new laws move California toward our vision of meaningful health coverage which is affordable, available, adequate, and administratively simple.
“The scorecard is an important tool to help our volunteer advocates understand a legislator’s commitment to our policy agenda. It’s easy for legislators to say they’re with us. Who isn’t against cancer? But the votes tell the real story,” continued Knox.
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.
View the scorecard here: Legislative_Scorecard_2010.pdf
California Updates
Unless specifically noted otherwise, the Society, and not ACS CAN, is conducting the activities described on this page.
