Federal Update: ACS CAN Outlines Critical Health Care Reform Priorities

As Congress works to merge the House and Senate health care reform bills, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) has sent a letter to congressional leaders calling for the strongest final bill possible for patients. 

“Families affected by cancer will benefit enormously from strong provisions in both bills that would refocus the system to better emphasize prevention, reform the private insurance market to eliminate discrimination based on health status or pre-existing conditions, and improve the quality of care patients receive,” wrote John R. Seffrin, Ph.D., chief executive officer of ACS CAN.  

The letter from ACS CAN identifies the following key priorities to be addressed during the merger:

• Improving the affordability of care through strengthened subsidies;
• Guaranteeing the adequacy of essential benefits packages;
• Eliminating annual benefit limits in all insurance plans by 2014, ensuring that annual limits established before then are high enough to cover essential benefits, and banning lifetime limits;
• Providing uninsured people in dire need of care immediate access to high-risk plans; and
• Promoting workplace wellness without linking insurance-based financial incentives or penalties to health outcomes beyond current regulations.

Read the Letter

New Jersey Update: Legislature Enacts Calorie Posting Legislation

New Jersey consumers will soon have a new tool at their disposal to help them make healthier choices in fast food restaurants.

Legislation passed last week and signed into law yesterday by the outgoing Governor will require chain restaurants in New Jersey to post the calories for basic meals and drinks on menus and menu boards, so consumers can see what they are ordering.  This bill is part of a consumer choice effort to begin fighting back against the obesity epidemic that is such a costly and growing problem in our society.

The cancer risk related to obesity is second only to the risk connected with tobacco.  Up to 20% of cancer deaths among women and 14% among men are judged to be linked to obesity.

Posting calorie information on menus empowers parents and other customers to make healthier choices—at the point of purchase.  We're not trying to tell people what to buy or what to eat.  We just want to give them a chance to make healthier choices. 

The new legislation will take effect in January 2011.  Thanks to all who took action on this issue – your voices were heard!

Fight Back Against Cancer in the New Year

On Wednesday, January 27,  President Obama will give his State of the Union address to the nation. During this address, the President's legislative priorities are laid out for the coming year. You can take part by attending our online State of the Union Watch Party where you can join thousands of other American Cancer Society volunteers from across the country as they watch to see if the President mentions cancer or our legislative priorities during the speech.

Contact us at eaadvocacymail@cancer.org for info

New Jersey Has a New State Lead Ambassador - Introducing Marge Scanny

The new year has brought some changes in the American Cancer Society’s volunteer structure here in New Jersey.  In December, our long-time State Lead Ambassador (SLA) extraordinaire, Aimee Belgard, finished her two-year term and our new SLA, Marge Scanny, begins her term in that important volunteer role this month. 

Some of you may know Marge from her day job as Manager of Cancer Community Outreach at Shore Memorial Hospital Cancer Center in Somers Point, where she manages the New Jersey CEED Grant, the New Jersey Comprehensive Cancer Control Grant and the New Jersey Tobacco Control Grant.  As a volunteer with the American Cancer Society and ACS CAN, Marge has served as the ACT Lead (congressional district team leader) for the 2nd congressional district for the past two years.