Today, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) requirement that insurers provide cost-free coverage of preventive services recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). In response to the ruling, AcademyHealth, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, GO2 for Lung Cancer, Public Citizen and Truth Initiative released this statement:
"On behalf of our organizations and the people we serve, we applaud the U.S. Supreme Court for protecting cost-free coverage of preventive services for more than 150 million people in the United States.
"Access to preventive services without cost-sharing saves lives and improves the health of our nation. The lower court's ruling would have jeopardized access to preventive services and the progress we have made in reducing the burden of chronic disease. Access to preventive care – including screenings for cancer, medications for cardiovascular disease and helping people quit smoking – is essential to lowering health care costs for patients and making our nation healthier. By detecting conditions like cancer earlier, we can dramatically improve the chances of survival: for example, the five-year survival rate for lung cancer patients is 64% when the cancer is caught before a tumor spreads, compared to just 9% if the cancer is caught at a late stage.
"Thankfully, the Supreme Court ruled to protect this vital health care coverage so insurers will continue to provide cost-free access to this lifesaving preventive care. Now, we urge U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy to ensure lifesaving preventive care is preserved by supporting the USPSTF and its evidence-based recommendations."
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