Less Cancer Endorses Dingell Resolution to Protect Medicaid Coverage During Active Cancer Treatment

Resolution urges states to use existing medical information rather than repeatedly requiring patients to prove their circumstances

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, September 28, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Less Cancer today endorsed a resolution introduced by U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) recognizing the importance of protecting continuous Medicaid coverage for individuals undergoing active cancer treatment.

The resolution encourages states to use Medicaid claims, encounter data and other reliable health information to identify patients undergoing active cancer treatment and determine whether they qualify for a medical exemption from work and reporting requirements.

When existing records are insufficient, the resolution recommends allowing a simple certification from the patient’s oncologist, physician or other qualified health care professional. It also calls for clear notice, reasonable assistance and an opportunity to establish an exemption before Medicaid coverage is suspended or terminated.

“No one fighting cancer should ever have to pause or skip lifesaving treatment because of bureaucratic red tape,” Representative Dingell said.

The resolution follows months of work by Less Cancer Founder and President Bill Couzens, who brought the issue to Representative Dingell’s office and has contacted governors and Medicaid officials across the country.

“I know from my own health challenges that even a brief period of being down can make ordinary administrative work feel impossible,” Couzens said. “For someone undergoing cancer treatment, repeated Medicaid reporting can become an obstacle at the very moment care matters most. No patient should lose coverage because illness or treatment made paperwork impossible. States have medical records and claims information available to them. They should use that information to protect patients and keep treatment moving.”

New federal Medicaid rules require certain adults to document at least 80 hours of qualifying work or community engagement each month beginning no later than January 1, 2027. Individuals who are disabled or medically frail may be exempt, but the process for identifying and verifying those exemptions will largely be implemented by individual states.

The Dingell resolution encourages states to:

• Proactively identify Medicaid beneficiaries undergoing active cancer treatment.
• Use claims and other reliable health information whenever possible.
• Avoid repeatedly asking patients to document medical circumstances already reflected in Medicaid records.
• Accept a simple certification from a treating health care professional when additional information is necessary.
• Provide notice and assistance before suspending or terminating coverage.
• Develop similar protections for people living with other chronic illnesses.

The resolution is not binding law, but it formally places the issue before Congress and urges states and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to make the exemption process as simple and automatic as possible.

“Cancer treatment is work enough,” Couzens said. “A patient should never lose Medicaid in the middle of treatment because of paperwork.”

Less Cancer will continue working with governors, Medicaid directors, health professionals and policymakers to protect continuous coverage for patients undergoing active cancer treatment.

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About Less Cancer
Next Generation Choices Foundation, known publicly as Less Cancer, is a national 501(c)(3) organization advancing cancer prevention through education, programming, public engagement and policy. Founded in 2003 and incorporated in 2004, Less Cancer works with health professionals, communities, educational institutions and policymakers to reduce preventable disease and improve health outcomes. For more information, visit www.lesscancer.org.

Victoria Bendure
Bendure Communications, Inc.
vicki@bendurepr.com
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