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THE IL CANCER PATIENTS BILL OF RIGHTS IS HEADED TO THE IL LEGISLATURE
Too many people in IL face barriers to accessing cancer care. Join us in our fight to ensure all Illinois patients have access to cancer care.
We live in a groundbreaking era of cancer care innovation, but not all patients benefit equally. Too many people in Illinois can’t access the latest advancements in cancer care because of their means, insurance coverage, location, or socioeconomic status. This is one of the greatest barriers to reducing cancer deaths and contributes to cancer mortality rates in Illinois that are higher than the national average.
The Illinois Cancer Care is Different Coalition, founded by City of Hope, is committed to advocating for policies that remove barriers to life-saving cancer care.
The Need and Patient Burden
Illinois has higher cancer mortality rates than the national average for almost every major cancer type.1
In 2023, an estimated 23,380 patients in Illinois died of cancer related causes. That is about the seating capacity of the United Center.2
There will be 78,000 new cancer diagnoses in 2024 in Illinois2
Remarkable advances in cancer science, in areas such as genomics and precision medicine, are creating more effective treatments and better outcomes for patients affected by cancer. But there are significant disparities in access to these advanced treatments and cancer mortality rates based on race and socioeconomic status. Cancer patients have drastically different outcomes based on their ability to receive early diagnosis and access to the appropriate treatment, including advanced and sub-specialty care.
Illinois has dramatic racial disparities for cancer mortality rates.3
To cite just a few examples:
48%Black women in Illinois have a breast cancer mortality rate that is 48% higher than white women.
66%Black men in Illinois have a colorectal cancer mortality rate that is 66% higher than white men.
135%Black men in Illinois have a prostate cancer mortality rate that is 135% higher than white men.
Ensuring that Illinois residents can access advanced cancer centers offering the latest research and treatment for their specific cancer type would save lives and provide more equitable access to cancer care.
The Solution: IL Cancer Patients Bill of Rights
Addressing access disparities proactively is the first step on a path toward more equitable and effective cancer care for all Illinois residents.
The Illinois Cancer Patients Bill of Rights would declare that patients should be able to access the latest cancer research, treatments and expertise needed to beat their specific cancer type.
Following the successful passage of a Cancer Patients Bill of Rights in California, Illinois now has the opportunity to become the second state to take action on this critical issue impacting millions of Americans.
WHEREAS, Remarkable advances in cancer science are creating more effective treatments and cures for patients affected by cancer; and
WHEREAS, Unfortunately many cancer patients do not benefit from these treatment advances and some die needlessly as a result; and
WHEREAS, Surviving cancer is directly related to early detection and access to appropriate treatment including advanced and sub-specialty care; and
WHEREAS, Many Illinois residents do not have access to advanced cancer centers offering the latest research and treatment for their specific cancer type due to their insurance, means, or other factors; and
WHEREAS, Of the 2 million Americans the American Cancer Society estimates will be diagnosed with cancer in 2024, more than 78,000 individuals are predicted to be diagnosed in Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Cancer care is increasingly reliant on genetic and genomic testing to direct care for each individual patient; and
WHEREAS, It is now understood that access to multidisciplinary supportive care while undergoing treatment can significantly impact outcomes and survival for cancer patients; and
WHEREAS, There is a growing understanding that there are hundreds of different cancer types and each may require different types of therapy; the complexities of cancer care include relying on the accuracy of the initial diagnosis, the choice of therapy, and access to appropriate clinical trials; and
WHEREAS, There is significant variability in the ability of medical oncologists to stay current with the most recent evidence due to the complexities of cancer care in the precision medicine era; and
WHEREAS, For many cancer patients, the first chance for a cure is the best chance for a cure, highlighting the need for access to appropriate expertise early in the cancer journey; and
WHEREAS, There are disparities in cancer outcomes and access to leading-edge clinical trials based on race and socioeconomic status that are unfavorable to those that are the most vulnerable and disadvantaged; and
WHEREAS, The speed of discovery in cancer diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance is creating a widening gap between the optimal care received by those with means and the substandard care too often received by the most vulnerable residents of Illinois, which will only worsen if it is not addressed; this reality reflects an important truth that cancer care is different from other types of health care and the needs of cancer patients are different from those with other illnesses; and
WHEREAS, It is imperative that Illinois policymakers prioritize appropriate and timely access to expert cancer care for patients; therefore be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we endorse the following principles as the Cancer Patients' Bill of Rights to express our support that cancer patients in the State receive the best cancer care available:
- Cancer patients with complex cancers deserve access to specialized expertise and emerging treatments for their specific type of cancer, including precision medicine and genomic therapies, which are only available at advanced cancer centers;
- Cancer patients deserve multidisciplinary supportive care while undergoing treatment, including care that addresses pain, emotional, and overall health needs;
- Cancer patients should have the opportunity to access emerging therapies informed by the latest cancer research through relevant early-stage and late-stage clinical trials, which are often only available at cancer treatment institutions;
- To the extent possible, cancer patients should be able to receive timely cancer care in their community, which is often supported by partnerships between community providers and academic institutions; and
- Cancer patients have a right to fully understand their diagnoses and be informed about treatment options in culturally appropriate and understandable languages; and be it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies be delivered to Governor JB Pritzker and Director Elizabeth M. Whitehorn of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.