News - Local
Louisiana Falls Short on Policies to Prevent and Fight Cancer
Posted: Jul 29, 2010 9:57 AM by Katie Durio
BATON ROUGE, La. - According to a new report, Louisiana falls short on its legislative efforts to combat cancer. How Do You Measure Up?: A Progress Report on State Legislative Activity to Reduce Cancer Incidence and Mortality evaluates each state's legislative activity on six issues key to winning the fight against cancer. Developed by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), the advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, the report finds that Louisiana measured up to benchmarks in just one of the six issues.
"Our state legislators can play an important role in the war against cancer by passing legislation that can help reduce the toll this disease takes on our state and save lives," said Amber Stevens, ACS CAN's volunteer state lead ambassador for Louisiana. "We all have a responsibility to fight back against a disease that kills 8,480 in Louisiana each year by enacting laws and policies that eliminate barriers for the proper diagnosis, treatment and care of cancer patients."
How Do You Measure Up? details state efforts around health care coverage, prevention and quality of life measures. The report measures state policies (as a result of a legislative vote or a ballot initiative) on six specific issues: breast and cervical cancer early detection program funding; access to care for the uninsured; colorectal screening coverage laws; smoke-free laws; funding for tobacco prevention programs; and tobacco taxes. A color-coded system is used to identify how well a state is doing. Green represents the benchmark position with well-balanced policies and good practices; yellow indicates moderate movement toward the benchmark and red shows where states are falling short.
In addition to the specific areas that were rated, the report also examines how states are measuring up on issues such as the affordability of health coverage on the individual market or through Medicaid for low-income populations. It also details state efforts on pain management and investments in nutrition and physical activity promotion.
"As advocates, we have the responsibility to educate the public on the many ways to prevent and fight cancer effectively at the state level, but we cannot do it unless state and local policymakers take action," said Stevens. "In most cases, the solutions we offer will save the state millions of dollars in health care costs and increased worker productivity. In many cases, it costs the state little or nothing to do the right thing."
During the 2010 legislative session, cancer advocates sought $1.5 million in funding for the Louisiana FITCo colon cancer project, but during budget negotiations that amount was reduced to $75,000. Advocates also fought to maintain $700,000 in funding for the state's Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which was restored after funding was cut from LSU's hospital budget.
How Louisiana measures up:
Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program Funding Yellow
The Uninsured Red
Colorectal Screening Coverage Laws Green
Smoke-free Laws Yellow
Tobacco Prevention Funding Red
Tobacco Taxes Red
Throughout the past year, state legislatures across the country have made great advances in the fight against cancer. Since the last publication of this report (July 2009), 11 states and the District of Columbia have passed tobacco tax increases, bringing to 47 the total number of states with tobacco tax increases since 2002 and increasing the current national average to $1.45 (up from $1.28 in 2009). Research has consistently shown that every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes reduces youth smoking by 7 percent and overall cigarette consumption by about 4 percent.
Three more states implemented comprehensive smoke-free laws, protecting workers and patrons from the hazards of secondhand smoke. And many states are working on policies and programs to reduce cancer risk related to poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and obesity.
In addition, many state legislatures fought hard to preserve coverage for lifesaving cancer screenings and treatments and to stave off attempts to cut state funds that support these programs, such as the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.
In 2010, more than 1.5 million people in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer and more than 569,000 people will die from the disease. In Louisiana this year, 20,950 people will be diagnosed with cancer and another 8,480 will die of the disease.
For state-by-state details or a copy of the complete report, please visit www.acscan.org.
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.acscan.org.
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