Lainie Jones Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Act of 2026

This legislation aims to comprehensively address the health and unmet needs of cancer survivors from diagnosis through active treatment and post-treatment. Its overarching goal is to improve survivorship, treatment, transition to recovery, quality of life, palliative care, and long-term health outcomes for individuals living with, through, and beyond cancer. The bill emphasizes the development of a minimum standard of care for cancer survivorship, ensuring equitable access irrespective of cancer type, survivor background, or future needs. A key provision is the inclusion of cancer care planning and coordination services as a covered benefit under Medicare. These services involve the development of a written or electronic treatment plan by a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner, incorporating components of the Institute of Medicine Care Management Plan. Such plans are to be furnished at diagnosis, upon changes in condition or preferences, at the end of active treatment, and in cases of recurrence, with payment rates aligned with transitional care management services. The Secretary of Health and Human Services is mandated to convene a stakeholder meeting to evaluate strategies for improving care transitions from active treatment to long-term survivorship, considering existing tools and privacy implications. Following this, information resources for patients and providers on personalized survivorship care plans will be published. Additionally, the bill requires the development of an alternative payment model for quality cancer survivorship care under Medicare and Medicaid, with a detailed report to Congress outlining its structure and strategies. To support survivors, the Secretary of Labor, in consultation with HHS, will establish a Cancer Survivor Employment Assistance Program . This program will award grants to non-profit organizations to provide education and targeted assistance to cancer survivors and their families facing employment barriers. Assistance may include transportation, childcare, nutritional, psychosocial, and financial aid, as well as career and training services and help applying for benefits like SSI or disability insurance. Furthermore, the bill mandates a Comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Program , providing grants to eligible entities like cancer centers and community organizations. These grants aim to enhance survivors' quality of life and long-term survival through services such as physical activity promotion, anxiety mitigation, nutrition education, and adherence to screening schedules. Grantees must demonstrate how they will provide culturally competent care, overcome barriers for diverse communities, and support caregivers. The legislation also expands coverage under Medicaid and CHIP. It mandates Medicaid coverage for healthcare transitions for survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer , ensuring services like survivorship care plans and transition coverage based on Children's Oncology Group guidelines. Moreover, it requires Medicaid and CHIP coverage for cancer fertility services , including fertility treatment and preservation for individuals whose cancer treatment may cause iatrogenic infertility, with provisions for long-term storage costs and a prohibition on cost-sharing. Finally, the bill establishes an Office of Cancer Survivorship within the National Cancer Institute, tasked with managing research grants, professional education, and survivor education efforts to improve cancer survivorship outcomes. To assess progress, the bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on cancer survivorship progress since 1971, evaluating care quality, outcomes, disparities, and the impact of the Office of Cancer Survivorship.