In 2010, the total cost of cancer care in the United States reached $125 billion. Globally, the economic toll from cancer is nearly 20 percent higher than the leading cause of death, heart disease. Cancer patients are also living longer today, which is further increasing the cost of their continued care. As the health insurance exchanges have opened and heated debate about the Affordable Care Act continues, many questions remain, including the $125 billion question: “How will the ACA affect the most expensive disease: cancer?”

Leading health economist Cathy Bradley, Ph.D., M.P.A., associate director for cancer prevention and control at VCU Massey Cancer Center and chair and professor of healthcare policy and research at Virginia Commonwealth University, can discuss the impact of the Affordable Care Act on working cancer patients, who often experience fear of losing their health insurance if they cannot continue to work after diagnosis. She led an NCI-funded study assessing the implications of the ACA on Americans dependent on employer-sponsored health insurance after experiencing a health shock like cancer.

Andrew Barnes, Ph.D., member of the Cancer Prevention and Control research program at VCU Massey Cancer Center and assistant professor of healthcare policy and research at Virginia Commonwealth University, can discuss consumer ability to understand the ACA’s health insurance exchanges. He conducted a study that found that nearly half of uninsured patients are purchasing insurance plans, through the health exchanges, that do not offer adequate coverage given their health status and utilization history. He also found that not only patients but doctors are having trouble navigating the exchanges. • Lindsay Sabik, Ph.D., member of the Cancer Prevention and Control research program at VCU Massey Cancer Center and assistant professor of healthcare policy and research at Virginia Commonwealth University, can discuss the effect of Medicaid expansions on cancer screening. She led a study that examined how cancer screening changed after Massachusetts’ health care reform, which served as the policy template for the ACA. Sabik can also discuss the ACA’s impact on safety net hospitals.

To arrange interviews, please contact Alaina Schneider at 804-628-4578 or [email protected].VCU Massey Cancer Center has a state-of-the-art in-house studio that is VideoLink-enabled and can broadcast video directly to newsrooms around the world. We can also videotape the responses to your questions and provide the video for quick download. # # #