U.S. District Court ruling threatens access to free, lifesaving cancer screenings under the Affordable Care Act

افیا انتشار فوری

کایرا مایستر
703-836-1746
kyra.meister@preventcancer.org

Alexandria, Va. – Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor struck down a requirement in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a ruling that threatens access to preventive care services—including but not limited to colonoscopies, mammograms and Pap tests—for millions of Americans.

Judge O’Connor’s ruling applies to a crucial provision of the ACA that requires insurers to cover preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) at no cost to the patient. Before this ruling, coverage was required on a wide range of these preventive services, but this week’s decision blocks coverage requirements for any recommendations made before the ACA was signed into law and would apply nationwide, having a massive effect on free preventive care for cancer, depression, diabetes and HIV. (While the USPSTF had recommended some preventive services prior to the ACA becoming law, nearly all recommendations have been updated or expanded since that date.) The Biden administration is likely to appeal the ruling.

The Prevent Cancer Foundation strongly opposes the decision eliminating free coverage of preventive services and urges the federal government to appeal the ruling. Routine cancer screening can detect cancer early (even if you have no signs or symptoms) and early detection of cancer can mean less extensive treatment, more treatment options and better chances of survival. This ruling jeopardizes the opportunity for millions of Americans to check their health in an affordable, accessible way.

“Prevention and early detection saves lives, and it really is as simple as that,” said Jody Hoyos, CEO of the Prevent Cancer Foundation. “Increasing the costs people pay for prevention and early detection services, such as routine cancer screenings, and limiting access, will lead to diagnoses of cancers at later stages. We have made great strides in reducing death and suffering from cancer because it was made a priority. Going backwards and restricting access does not serve the people of this country.”

The Prevent Cancer Foundation is deeply committed to advocating for access to preventive care on behalf of all people and will continue to monitor this issue. For more information on free and low-cost cancer screenings, please visit our website.

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درباره بنیاد پیشگیری از سرطان^®

بنیاد پیشگیری از سرطان^® است تنها ایالات متحده-مستقر سازمان غیر انتفاعی صرفا اختصاصی به سرطان پیشگیری و زودهنگام تشخیص. از طریق تحقیق، آموزش، تماس با ما و وکالت, ما به افراد بی‌شماری کمک کرده‌ایم تا از تشخیص سرطان اجتناب کنند یا سرطان خود را به‌اندازه کافی زود تشخیص دهند تا با موفقیت درمان شوند. ما رانده می شویم چشم انداز جهانی که در آن سرطان قابل پیشگیری است، قابل تشخیص و قابل ضرب و شتم برای همه.  

این بنیاد در حال افزایش است تا با چالش کاهش مرگ و میر ناشی از سرطان تا 40% تا سال 2035 مقابله کند. ما هستیم متعهد به سرمایه گذاری $20 میلیون برای فناوری های نوآورانه برای تشخیص زودهنگام و پیشرفت سرطان است چندغربالگری سرطان، $10 میلیون برای گسترش غربالگری سرطان و دسترسی به واکسیناسیون از نظر پزشکی جوامع محروم، و $10 میلیون برای آموزش مردم در مورد گزینه های غربالگری و واکسیناسیون.

برای اطلاعات بیشتر لطفا مراجعه کنید به www.preventcancer.org.