April 2017: Three Big Things
Still Time to Register for Friday Webinar!
We've got two immediate opportunities for you to engage around the issue of financial toxicity as a side effect of a cancer diagnosis. If you're interested in learning more about the financial barriers that impact access to care and quality of life for families impacted by childhood cancer, here's how you can help us tackle this issue right now
Join us TOMORROW - April 28th - as we start to explore what we as policy advocates can do to work toward effective solutions to lessen the financial burden of cancer care on families in our community.
Academic researchers Anne Kirchoff, PhD, MPH, and Kira Bona, MD, MPH, will lead a discussion about challenges and opportunities facing childhood cancer advocates in our efforts to decrease financial barriers and expand access to affordable cancer care for families with a child battling cancer. CLICK TO REGISTER.
Also: Survey of Caregivers, Patients and Survivors
The Children's Cause, in collaboration with the Patient Advocate Foundation, is conducting a survey of childhood cancer families, patients and survivors. Your participation is completely voluntary and your individual responses will be kept confidential.
As an incentive for participating, you'll be entered into a weekly $100 Amazon gift card drawing! CLICK TO LAUNCH THE SURVEY.
Childhood Cancer Action Days: Participate Virtually
Join us from home on Monday, May 1st and Tuesday, May 2nd
We are just days away from the 2017 Childhood Cancer Action Days and we are anticipating another terrific year of storming Capitol Hill with the Alliance for Childhood Cancer.
If you are not able to join us in Washington, rest assured that you can still play an important role from home by amplifying the message of our advocates on the ground (follow hashtag #CCAD2017).
Watch your email on Monday morning for messages to share on social media and with your legislators about these key issues: the STAR Act,NIH funding, and the RACE Act.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter all day Monday and Tuesdayfor updates and easy-to-share messages.
The Latest on Capitol Hill: Amended GOP Healthcare Bill & Efforts to Avoid a Shutdown
Revised American Health Care Act
We are closely following updates on the new healthcare proposal announced on Tuesday, and we hope to have more information and action steps for you next week. Our top concern is the impact the legislation would have on people with pre-existing conditions, including childhood cancer survivors. The amended bill would allow states to opt out of protections for people with pre-existing conditions, essentially reviving expensive high-risk pools.
- Three Things You Should Know About the GOP's Latest Healthcare Plan (Time Money, 4/26/17)
- House Freedom Caucus Leaders Back New Healthcare Plan (Washington Post, 4/25/17)
- Here's where we stood on the original American Health Care Act, which failed to progress in March: What Would It Mean for Children with Cancer?
Congress Seeks to Avoid Government Shutdown
Congress has been facing a deadline of midnight Friday to pass a new spending bill to fund the federal government through September butreports from late Wednesday indicate that Congress may opt to extend that deadline for one week, buying them some extra time to avoid a government shutdown.
A major stumbling block has been funding subsidies for low-income people enrolled in the insurance marketplace through the Affordable Care Act. It appears that the Administration has dropped its opposition to those subsidies (known as Cost Sharing Reductions), which greatly improves the odds of avoiding a shutdown.
We will keep you posted as negotiations continue.