The 16th annual report from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) found that California and Massachusetts ranked highest in treating and preventing cancer. However, the report shows many states are falling behind in preventing cancer and promoting access to health coverage.
States are graded in the following nine areas:
- Increased access to Medicaid
- Funding for cancer screening
- Access to palliative care
- Pain control policies
- Cigarette taxes
- Smoke-free laws
- Funding for tobacco prevention and cessation
- Medicaid coverage of tobacco cessation
- Restrictions on indoor tanning devices
How does your state measure up in the fight against cancer? @ACSCAN’s new How Do You Measure Up? report shows where every state stands on key cancer issues. Check it out now to see how your state is doing. #HDYMU https://t.co/buGKT9W2VC
— ACS CAN NC (@ACSCANNC) August 13, 2018
California and Massachusetts met six or more of the noted categories; however, no states met eight or nine of these benchmarks. Thirty states and the District of Columbia met benchmarks in three to five of these areas, and 18 states only met two or fewer of these priorities.
How does the District of Columbia measure up in the fight against cancer? @ACSCAN’s new How Do You Measure Up? report shows where every state stands on key cancer issues. Check it out now to see how the District is doing. #HDYMU https://t.co/Pbw50xDTZE pic.twitter.com/1cdmRpeCFm
— ACS CAN Washington DC (@ACSCAN_DC) August 9, 2018
“By passing the cancer-fighting measures laid out in this report, lawmakers will not only be saving lives today and for years to come, they’ll be reducing long-term healthcare costs that can be reinvested back into state economies,” according to a statement from ACS CAN President Chris Hansen.
Overall cancer mortality continues to decline, except for prostate cancer.
The CDC says cancer screening rates are improving, but still lagging.
Source: American Cancer Society
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