American Cancer Society Issues Statement on Health Insurance Mandate

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 -- The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network issued the following statement:

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Today the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) sent a letter (https://www.acscan.org/sites/default/files/HCR%20Senate%20Finance%20individual%20Mandate%20Repeal%20Letter%20FINAL.pdf) to Senate Finance Committee Leadership opposing a provision in the tax bill that would eliminate the mandate that Americans purchase health insurance coverage. Repealing the mandate would significantly weaken the individual insurance market and lead to higher premiums with fewer choices and more uninsured Americans.

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), eliminating the insurance requirement from current law would lead to 13 million more Americans being uninsured by 2027 and would increase premiums by about 10 percent each year.

A statement from Chris Hansen, president of ACS CAN, follows:

"Eliminating the individual mandate risks creating an unbalanced and unsustainable insurance pool. Young and healthy people would be more likely to forego coverage and older, sicker people who need it will have to pay more until it is simply unaffordable--leading to more uninsured Americans.

"Cancer patients, survivors and those at risk for the disease need access to quality insurance coverage at an affordable cost. Willfully undermining a key component of our current health care system without a broader plan in place could be devastating to patients.

"On behalf of all Americans affected by cancer, we urge lawmakers to oppose this provision and take strong, bipartisan steps--like those laid out by Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.)-- to strengthen, rather than weaken, our health care system."

This document was posted showing the date: Nov. 15, 2017.