Power. Progress. Prevention.
The Foundation’s Advocacy Newsletter
June 16, 2017
GOP Senators stay silent on health care
The bill could keep the protections put in place by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for people with pre-existing conditions. Under the House bill, states can opt out of these protections.Republicans in the Senate continue to draft their own health care legislation after expressing dissatisfaction with the House’s American Health Care Act. They are keeping a tight lid on the details, but a few possible parts of the bill have been released.
- Senate Republicans may keep some ACA taxes to help pay for their legislation. The House bill would repeal nearly all of the ACA taxes.
- Senate Republicans want to set a more gradual rollback of the ACA’s Medicaid expansion than what was laid out in the House bill.
The House version of the bill eliminates the Prevention and Public Health Fund established by the ACA, taking money away from community organizations that provide screenings and vaccinations to those who can’t afford them. According to the bipartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the bill would also result in 14 million more uninsured Americans in 2018, increasing to 23 million in 2026. That’s 82 percent higher than under current law.
While GOP senators continue to work on their legislation, we will be following it closely and continuing to advocate for any new bill to prioritize prevention. The latest reports suggest this bill could be brought to a vote by July 4. Contact your senator’s office to make your voice heard.
Men’s Health Month
With Father’s Day this weekend, we will be taking extra time to appreciate the men in our lives. But the best way we can show our love is to encourage you—our fathers, husbands, sons, grandpas, brothers and uncles—to take charge of your health, and now couldn’t be a better time given June is Men’s Health Month.
Guys, here are a few of the most common mistakes you might be making when it comes to your health:
- Skipping regular check-ups and screenings: Regular health check-ups and cancer screenings can help you prevent cancer or detect it early, when successful treatment is more likely. This week, make an appointment for a physical and talk to your health care professional about what screening options are right for you.
- Not making time for exercise: It’s easy to cut out exercise when your schedule is full with work and family obligations. Make exercising a priority and plan it into your weekly schedule. As summer approaches, take advantage of the sunshine and longer daylight. Get outside for fun, healthy activities like hiking, golfing or walking.
- Smoking: About 40 percent of men worldwide smoke, compared to only 9 percent of women. Lung cancer is the most deadly form of cancer, and smoking is by far the leading cause. Smoking is also linked to several other types of cancer. If you smoke, it is crucial that you quit to help reduce your cancer risk. For help quitting, call 1-800-QuitNow to be connected with a trained quit coach in your area.
Think About the Link® on Capitol Hill
The Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Think About the Link® campaign traveled to Capitol Hill Thursday as part of the Foundation’s Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program. Think About the Link® is a multi-year, national education campaign about the link between certain viruses and cancer. Think About the Link® empowers at-risk groups to get vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B and/or tested and treated for hepatitis C.
The briefing was attended by congressional spouses and staff. Representative Judy Chu (D-CA) shared her personal connection to virally-induced cancers, having lost several family members and friends to cancer linked to hepatitis B. She is working hard in Congress to improve funding for the Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help other families avoid the same tragedies.
Other speakers included Kate Moraras from the Hepatitis B Foundation, Dr. Stacey Trooskin from Philadelphia FIGHT and Dr. Sherrie Flynt Wallington of the Georgetown University Medical Center. They all emphasized the need to improve hepatitis B and HPV vaccination rates and access to care for those living with these viruses before they lead to cancer.
Don’t miss our June call
Mark your calendars for this month’s advocacy call on Thursday, June 29, at 9 p.m. ET. We hope you can join us!
Dial-in: (641) 552-9402
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