Access to affordable health insurance is a key factor for surviving cancer. Individuals who are uninsured or who cannot afford the out-of-pocket costs for their insurance are less likely to get screened for cancer and therefore less likely to survive a cancer diagnosis.
Through the Affordable Care Act, those with lower incomes who purchase health insurance plans on the Marketplace receive tax credits to help make plans more affordable. The tax credits were later expanded to provide more individuals with financial assistance to help them afford their health insurance plans.
These enhanced tax credits led to record enrollment in Marketplace plans and have provided 7.2 million people in America with a path to affordable, comprehensive coverage to be able to prevent, detect and treat cancer. Unless Congress acts and makes the ACA enhanced tax credits permanent, affordability will become a barrier to lifesaving cancer screening, early detection, treatment and follow-up care.
