Advocacy & Policy

Our advocacy and public policy efforts are focused on supporting and improving the lives of people affected by cancer, through treatment and beyond. We collaborate with many other cancer-related advocacy organizations to maximize the impact of our work.

Watch CancerCare’s Kim Czubaruk in a webinar about Medicare’s Six Protected Classes (6PC) policy, which reviews how these protections help ensure access to vital medications. View video »

CancerCare endorses and actively promotes state and federal policies which:

Ensure equitable access to high quality, safe, affordable and comprehensive cancer treatment for all Americans
Monitor and protect against potential discriminatory insurance benefit design and implementation
Enable a responsible process to ensure government-sponsored insurance programs provide patient-centric, quality, and affordable treatment and coverage
Facilitate shared decision-making in cancer treatment planning that reflects patients’ values and priorities
Help expedite the development and implementation of survivorship plans for every cancer patient after active treatment
Fund the rapid development of novel, safe and effective cancer treatment and support therapies
Promote health equity and reduce health care disparities among vulnerable and underserved communities

Our Advocacy Activities

For people living with cancer, access to treatment is often delayed or denied by the very health plans they hoped would support them. Prior authorization, step therapy, coverage stoppages and other utilization management practices can stand between patients and the care their doctor has prescribed. This initiative set out to capture the human experience of utilization management and demonstrate the need for policy change. Learn more >>

Since 1992, the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program has enabled eligible hospitals to buy outpatient prescription drugs at steep discounts, with the goal of expanding care for low-income, uninsured and vulnerable patients. A 2026 study by CancerCare and Pioneer Institute found that 340B hospitals provide, on average, less charity care and care for uninsured patients than non-340B hospitals. CancerCare has developed resources to help advocate for 340B program policy reform.

What Patients and Caregivers Should Know About 340B (2-pager)

Watch: Bernetia's Story - 340B Drug Pricing Program

Watch: Margarita's Story - 340B Drug Pricing Program

Watch: Bernetia and Margarita's Experiences With 340B Hospitals

The 340B Drug Pricing Program Is Failing Vulnerable Patients, But Policy Reform Can Help

Watch the CancerCare and Pioneer Institute webinar: 340B Drug Pricing Program Webinar

CancerCare created this resource to help people with Medicare understand the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (MPPP), which lets people spread out prescription drug costs over the year, and the new annual limit on Medicare Part D drug costs. View Managing Medicare Drug Costs (1-pager)

Watch our webinar MPPP and Me: A Beginner's Guide to the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan

The purpose of these resources is to explain the unintended consequences of alternative funding programs, raise attention to the risks for employers and employees, and provide more ethical cost containment strategies for employer-sponsored health plans.

Alternative Funding Programs - Protecting Patients Against Alternative Funding Programs (2-pager)
Alternative Funding Programs - What Employers Need to Know
Alternative Funding Programs - What Employers Need to Know (1-pager)

Insurance companies and benefits consultants often recommend cost-saving strategies that control patients’ access to healthcare services—practices known as utilization management (UM). This toolkit will help achieve a deeper understanding of UM practices and their unintended consequences on the health and well-being of employees. Learn more >>

Published in July, 2022, reflecting the perspectives of more than 2700 cancer caregivers, the report identifies many of the concerns and needs they have as they participate in shared treatment decision-making. Learn more >>

Published in May, 2016, reflecting the perspectives of thousands of Americans diagnosed with cancer, the report identifies many needs and concerns that people experience along the continuum of living with and beyond cancer. Learn more >>

Launched in early 2017, this multi-faceted project intends to reframe the national healthcare policy dialogue to include what’s important to patients and their families, and to incorporate patients’ values and priorities into treatment decision-making models. Learn more >>

Published in 2019, the CancerCare Patient Values Manifesto is based on the premise that people with cancer and their clinical care teams have a fundamental right to relationships rooted in mutual respect, where communication is open and culturally competent, plain language information is exchanged, goals are shared and patients’ priorities are acknowledged throughout the continuum of care. Learn more >>

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Advocacy & Policy

CancerCare endorses and actively promotes state and federal policies which:

Our Advocacy Activities