Healthcare and Cancer: "One Step Closer to Comprehensive Health Care Reform"

On 24 December 2009, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), "the nation'sleading cancer advocacy organization" (ACS CAN, 2009, para. 4), published a statement by their Chief Executive Officer, John R. Seffrin, on the "Historic Senate Vote" that would improve the current health care options for cancer patients "by refocusing the system to emphasize prevention; guaranteeing quality, affordable coverage regardless of pre-existing conditions; reducing the cost burden on families; eliminating lifetime coverage limits; covering routine health costs for those who enroll in clinical trials; and emphasizing patients’ quality of life" (ACS CAN, 2009, para. 2)

Seffrin addresses the concerns of patients under the current healthcare system, who have to find ways to deal with the "negative impact of annual benefit limits" (ACS CAN, 2009, para. 3). The Senate bill that was passed by the Senate, he states, "immediately assures annual limits will be sufficient to cover essential benefits for all patients and completely bans annual coverage limits after 2014, ensuring that cancer patients and their families will no longer have to choose been lifesaving care and their lifesavings" (ACS CAN, 2009, para. 3).

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