Matt Lesser

Sen. Lesser Keynotes Major Cancer Network Policy Summit in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, state Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown) gave a speech on the impact of state policy on the access to high-quality care in America at a National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Oncology Policy Summit in Washington D.C. The senator, who is also a cancer survivor, then participated in a panel discussion with professionals and advocates from across the country to discuss trends in cancer care policy at the state level.

Sen. Lesser, who is co-chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee, thanked the NCCN for giving him the opportunity to talk about the importance of states in passing laws that improve health care accessibility and affordability. He told his own story of fighting cancer and discussed recently passed legislation in Connecticut.

“This NCCN Summit is a big deal, and it’s an incredible honor to have been asked to be their keynote speaker,” said Sen. Lesser. “As a cancer survivor, this issue is personal to me. Across the country, Connecticut is widely recognized as one the country’s leaders when it comes to cancer treatment and health reform. Despite the failure of the legislature to pass the Connecticut Option, this has still been a banner year for health reform. Connecticut passed dozens of proposals that strengthen the rights of patients and expand access to coverage and it was great to be able to discuss recent legislation, trends in health reform and meet many of the nation’s healthcare thought leaders.”

The NCCN is a prestigious non-for-profit alliance of 28 leading cancer centers across the country devoted to patient care, research, and education, according to their website. NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system, per the NCCN website.

Additionally, world-renowned experts from NCCN Member Institutions diagnose and treat patients with a broad spectrum of cancers and are recognized for caring for patients with complex, aggressive or rare forms of cancer.