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What’s the Illinois Cancer Patients’ Bill of Rights?

City of Hope
Mar 12, 2025
Patient Care
Chicago
The Patients' Bill of Rights declares that anyone diagnosed with cancer in Illinois should have access to quality care.

A new law took effect this year, helping expand access to the latest treatments and care for all cancer patients in Illinois.

The Illinois House of Representatives unanimously passed the Illinois Cancer Patients’ Bill of Rights, which declares that anyone who lives in the state and has a cancer diagnosis should be able to receive new and emerging treatments, care at advanced cancer centers and support — regardless of their means or background.

City of Hope® championed the resolution through its founding of Cancer Care is Different — a coalition of leading cancer organizations. The coalition’s mission is to advocate for more equitable access to lifesaving cancer care. In addition to City of Hope, it includes such organizations as the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Susan G. Komen of Greater Chicago, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Illinois, the American Lung Association of Greater Chicago and the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.

In this article, we’ll explore:

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with lung cancer and are looking for a second opinion, call us 24/7 at 877-524-4673.

What Does the Cancer Patient Bill of Rights Do?

Despite numerous advances in cancer treatment over the past few decades, many people diagnosed with the disease can’t access the latest therapies or technologies, often because they can’t pay for them.

“The speed of cancer discovery is helping save millions of lives, but it’s also leaving many people behind,” says Pete Govorchin, M.B.A., president of City of Hope Cancer Center Chicago.

State Rep. Marcus Evans and State Sen. Mary Edly-Allen introduced the resolution based on their belief that access to lifesaving cancer care is a basic human right.

The law states that all Illinois residents diagnosed with cancer should receive:

  • Specialized expertise and emerging treatments for their specific type of cancer, including precision medicine and genomic therapies, some of which are only available at advanced cancer centers
  • Multidisciplinary supportive care while undergoing treatment, including care that addresses pain, and emotional and overall health needs
  • Access to emerging therapies informed by the latest cancer research through relevant early-stage and late-stage clinical trials
  • Timely cancer care in their community, which is often supported by partnerships between community providers and academic institutions
  • Help understanding their diagnosis and treatment options in culturally appropriate languages

“The Illinois Cancer Patients Bill of Rights is a significant step forward in ensuring that patients can access leading-edge research, treatments and expertise at advanced cancer centers,” Govorchin says. “We are excited to work with health stakeholders across the state to bring the resolution to life and bridge the gap between cancer innovation and access.”

Illinois’ Cancer Burden

The new law is especially important because Illinois residents have higher cancer rates than the rest of the country, according to statistics recently released from the American Cancer Society (ACS).

According to the ACS, 78,870 people in Illinois are estimated to be diagnosed with cancer in 2025, and 23,170 people are expected to die from the disease. The state’s incidence rate of 470.1 is higher than the national average of 455.6. Its mortality rate of 150.2 is also higher than the national average of 146.

Prostate, breast and lung cancers top the list of diagnoses people in Illinois receive. Lung, colorectal and pancreatic cancer cause the most deaths, the ACS forecasts.

Also, screening rates in Illinois are lower than the national average. For example, 84% of women ages 25 to 66 are up to date on their Pap smears and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, compared to 87% nationally. And 65% of women 45 years and older are up to date on their mammograms, compared to 71% nationally.

Gauging Similar Programs for Cancer Patients

Illinois is the second state in the country to act on the issue of disproportionate access and cancer care.

In 2021, City of Hope and the Cancer Care is Different coalition helped establish the Cancer Patients Bill of Rights in California. The California legislature unanimously passed the resolution, which became known as the California Cancer Care Equity Act and took effect in January 2023. The law expanded access for Medi-Cal (the state’s Medicaid program) patients who receive a complex cancer diagnosis.

Joseph Alvarnas, M.D., a hematologist-oncologist and vice president of government affairs at City of Hope, told the Society of Hematologic Oncology’s Blood Cancers Today journal that certain barriers to care are universal. He added that even in California, known for its progressive health care policies and expansion of Medi-Cal, patients face significant constraints.

“What we found was that you could have coverage but not actually have access to care,” Dr. Alvarnas told the journal. “[This resolution] was conceived to figure out a way in which those core principles could translate into meaningful, actionable change for the most vulnerable members of our society.”

How Illinois Patients May Access Cancer Care Resources

If you have cancer and are looking for support — whether it’s physical, emotional or financial — you may get help from these resources:

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with lung cancer and are looking for a second opinion, call us 24/7 at 877-524-4673.