LETTER: Creating Fair Access to Cancer Treatment

It’s sometimes difficult to understand the barriers cancer patients’ face, until you see it for yourself. I didn’t know until my aunt was diagnosed with cancer.

One of these hurdles is the high out-of-pocket costs that come with certain treatments, like oral chemotherapy.

Doctors will often prescribe pills for cancer patients, instead of requiring them to visit a hospital multiple times a week for hours to receive intravenous (IV) chemotherapy. These pills are usually more effective than the alternative – or they might be the only treatment for that type of cancer.

Even better, oral chemotherapy can help patients lead a more “normal” life through their cancer journey. That’s unfortunately not always the case with IV chemo.

But Michigan has yet to join the majority of other states that have laws to ensure oral chemotherapy isn’t subject to higher co-pays than IV chemo. That means many Michiganders are forced to make decisions based on cost, instead of what their doctors recommend.

As a high school senior, I decided to this issue to the Capitol. I traveled to Lansing last week with 100 other cancer advocates, urging the Legislature to change that. I spoke with State Rep. Christine Greig and asked her to support removing this barrier to cancer treatment.

Cancer is hard enough on its own. Let’s make the journey easier for patients.

Sam Bloch
Volunteer, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN)
Farmington Hills