Susan G. Komen outlines 2026 advocacy priorities

The Susan G. Komen Center for Public Policy has announced its 2026 state and federal advocacy priorities, emphasizing the "urgent need to protect the breast cancer community from impending changes that will drastically change affordability and access to healthcare."

At both federal and state levels, policymakers are weighing proposals that could "significantly increase costs, reduce coverage and weaken critical cancer programs," the center said. It listed the following priorities for 2026:

• Reducing the administrative and financial barriers to "high-quality, affordable health insurance for all."
   
• Ensuring access to screening, diagnosis, and care, including protecting programs such as the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), passing the SCREENS for Cancer Act (H.R.2381/S.1866) to reauthorize the NBCCEDP, and passing the Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) Act (H.R.3037/S.1500).
   
• Navigating implementation of H.R.1 (also known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act").
   
• Protecting safety net programs that offer no- or low-cost breast cancer screenings.
   
• Mitigating "financial toxicity" for patients by advocating for policies that remove out-of-pocket costs for needed breast imaging beyond a screening mammogram.

"There are massive changes underway now and looming in the near future that will change healthcare as we know it," said Molly Guthrie, vice president of policy and advocacy at Susan G. Komen. "Our team is working at the state and federal levels to lessen the blow these policy changes will have on breast health services and to people diagnosed and living with breast cancer."