ACS CAN Issues Statement on Inadequate Health Plans

TOPEKA, Kansas, April 5 -- The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network issued the following statement:

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Today, the Kansas House of Representatives approved a bill to allow for the sale of inadequate health products like Association Health Plans and plans proposed by the Kansas Farm Bureau. In response, Jordan Feuerborn, Kansas government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, issued the following statement.

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"As an organization dedicated to reducing suffering and death from cancer, ACS CAN stands opposed to any health plans that could discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions or increase the number of uninsured or underinsured patients. The plans allowed for in this bill would not provide adequate health insurance coverage to Kansans.

"In other states, Farm Bureau plans feature pre-existing condition waiting periods or calendar year maximums for prescription drug coverage. And because AHPs are exempt from covering the essential health benefits required under the federal health care law, their beneficiaries are often left underinsured.

"But cancer doesn't wait for its victims to find other health insurance. We must ensure no Kansan experiences a gap in their coverage or costs they can't afford.

"We can never go back to the day when cancer patients couldn't get health insurance coverage due to their disease. ACS CAN urges Gov. Kelly to veto this legislation."