Tennessee lags in cancer-fighting policies, report says
Tennessee lags most of the country in policies designed to fight and prevent cancer diagnoses and treatment, according to a new progress report.
The state received red or yellow classifications — falling short or making progress, respectively — in 10 legislative categories from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network's "How Do You Measure Up" report. An estimated 37,650 people in Tennessee will be diagnosed with cancer in 2016, according to the organization. About 14,560 people will die because of cancer in 2016.
Cigarette tax rates, smoke-free laws, increased access to Medicaid and restrictions on indoor tanning machines were among some the categories in which state laws do not support policies that have proven to impact the rate, diagnosing or treatment of cancer, said Lynn Williams, the Tennessee government relations director for the organization.
Public policies, such as an increased cigarette tax rate, do affect people's health, said Williams. If the state's current cigarette tax rate, $0.62 per pack, was increased by $1 it would keep an estimated 32,900 people under age 18 from becoming adult smokers, according to an analysis from ACS CAN and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
Tennessee's cigarette excise tax ranks it 42nd in the country. A $1 increase would put it at 24th, between Delaware and New Mexico.
"That is a very key way to illustrate how legislature could affect health outcomes and the lives of many people across the state," said Williams.
Tennessee is one of two states in the 2016 scorecard to not receive a single green, or doing well, classification. There were only two states, Maine and Massachusetts, to receive the top rating in seven of the categories. Williams works with volunteers from across the state to communicate with elected state and U.S. leaders on policies that relate to cancer.
"We do have a challenge here in Tennessee," said Williams.
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Expanding Medicaid would increase access do diagnostics and treatment. Williams said she's been in touch with the House Speaker Beth Harwell's 3-Star Healthy Task Force about how it would cover cancer patients, particularly if it had a work or training component.
The state's policies in pain management that earned a yellow classification are a bright spot for Williams, who said the acknowledgement that cancer patients sometimes have special pain management needs is encouraging.
Tennessee's Anti-Cancer policy rankings
- Cigarette Tax Rates: Red
- Smoke-free Laws: Red
- Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program Funding: Red
- Medicaid Coverage of Tobacco Cessation Services: Red
- Indoor Tanning Device Use Restrictions: Red
- Increased Access to Medicaid: Red
- Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program Funding: Yellow
- Access to Palliative Care: Red
- Pain Policy: Yellow
- Oral Chemotherapy Parity: Yellow
Reach Holly Fletcher at 615-259-8287 or on Twitter @hollyfletcher.