On December 6, 2016, during a Sunday school class at his church in Plains, President Carter announced his recent tests revealed no signs of cancer in his body. At that time, news of Carter’s renewed health overjoyed and overshadowed the success of the cancer treatment itself. Many assumed such a drug would be out of reach for the average person. But this month, Georgia state Rep. Mike Cheokas introduced a House bill that will allow more cancer patients in the state to receive the same treatment as President Carter. The bill passed unanimously in the state House on Monday, and has moved to the state Senate for consideration. Kristina
Torres with AJC.com reports:
State Rep. Mike Cheokas, R-Americus, counts Carter as a constituent and said former president’s cancer battle inspired him to help others get access to the same drugs that helped Carter.
House Bill 965 — which Cheokas has dubbed the “Honorable Jimmy Carter Cancer Treatment Access Act” — says any insurance company that offers health care plans in Georgia cannot force patients first fail to respond to other treatments before trying other programs. The bill would only apply to health plans that cover the treatment of advanced, metastatic cancer, which typically involves Stage IV patients.
Most anyone can come hear President Cater speak, in person, on any given Sunday by attending his Sunday School class at the Maranatha Church in Plains, Georgia. (He has been known to take photos with every person who attends his class and wants a photo. And if she is there, former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter poses with him.) You can write the Carters at The Carter Center. The public also continues to pay tribute to this great man and his remarkable deeds by sharing and commenting on the Facebook page, Honoring Jimmy Carter.