Five States Passed Laws in 2007, but 26 Still Earn D's or F's on
Legislation Report Card
WASHINGTON, March 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the first time,
more than half of the U.S. population is now covered by state laws that
require insurance providers to cover the cost of colon cancer screening
tests, according to a new report card issued by a coalition of 11 leading
public health groups. The enactment of new coverage laws in five states
during 2007 also increased to 19 the number of states receiving an "A"
grade on the 2008 Colorectal Cancer Legislation Report Card. Despite the
gains, 26 states still have failing marks of "D" or "F."
Nebraska, New Mexico and Washington all joined the "A" list since last
year's report card with new laws that require insurance carriers to pay for
the full range of colon cancer screening tests, including colonoscopy. The
report card gave states "A" grades based whether the laws embraced the
screening guidelines of the American Cancer Society, American
Gastroenterological Association (AGA), American College of Gastroenterology
(ACG) and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) that were
current at the time of evaluation in 2007. "A" level legislation also takes
into account future advances, which is particularly crucial this year as
screening guidelines have recently been updated for 2008.
Alaska, which enacted comprehensive legislation in 2006, was added to
the "A" list in March 2007 shortly after enacting its new law. The state
received an "A" grade in the 2007 report card, which was released shortly
after the law became effective. A new Minnesota law requiring coverage for
preventative screening raised that state's grade from "F" to "C." Minnesota
missed out on a higher grade because the law is somewhat vague and does not
specifically define which types of screening must be covered. (To view the
report, visit http://www.nccra.org.)
Despite Gains, 26 States Do Not Assure Screening Coverage
Thanks to the new laws, 54 percent of the U.S. population is now
covered by laws that require insurance coverage for colon cancer screening,
compared to 49 percent at the end of 2006.
"We made real progress this past year in the fight against colon
cancer. The new laws enacted will give more Americans the opportunity to
stop colon cancer before it starts through early detection tests that can
remove growths before they turn into cancer," said Daniel E. Smith,
president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN),
the American Cancer Society's sister advocacy organization. "Still, we
can't rest until every state requires insurers to cover the cost of colon
cancer screening so that it's accessible to everyone who needs it."
Commonly known as colon cancer, colorectal cancer is the second leading
cause of cancer death among American men and women combined, but --
according to the Centers for Disease Control -- if everyone aged 50 years
or older were screened regularly, as many as 60 percent of deaths from
colorectal cancer could be avoided. The Society recommends that
average-risk adults should begin colorectal cancer screening at age 50
years with one of several options, including a once-a-decade colonoscopy
that not only detects cancerous growths, but can remove polyps before they
become cancerous. Studies show that screening rates rise and death rates
decline substantially when states require insurance coverage for these
potentially lifesaving procedures.
Screening Rates and Cancer Survival Rise When States Require Coverage
A May 2006 analysis by the American Cancer Society found that screening
rates in states with "A" level coverage laws had risen 40 percent faster
than the rates in states without such laws.([1])
When detected early, colon cancer is among the most treatable of all
cancers and has a five-year survival rate of 90 percent. That survival rate
drops to only 10 percent when people are diagnosed with the most advanced
stage of the disease (once it has spread from the colon to other organs
such as the liver and lungs). Early detection and prevention through
screening is extraordinarily cost effective.
Screening is Cost Effective
A study commissioned by the American Cancer Society in 2003 shows that
colon cancer screening tests are less costly than equally-important annual
screening for breast cancer, for which coverage is protected by law in 49
states. The PMPM cost of screening mammography is 75 cents -- 9 cents more
PMPM than flexible sigmoidoscopy and FOBT combined and 20 cents more than
colonoscopy.([2])
Early detection also produces overall savings in health care
expenditures by reducing treatment costs. A recent report commissioned by
ACG estimated average per patient treatment costs of $30,000 when early
stage cancers are detected early, compared to $120,000 for a patient with
late-stage colon cancer.
While screening is cost-effective on an aggregate basis, the
out-of-pocket costs can strain the finances of uninsured and underinsured
individuals and discourage them from taking advantage of screening
technology. Medical practitioners recommend regular screening for colon
cancer once individuals reach the age of 50, but in 2003, fewer than one
half of Americans in this group reported getting screened regularly. By
comparison, data from that year shows that more than 57 percent of men over
50 reported being screened for prostate cancer in the last year, and 69.7
percent of women over 40 reported being screened for breast cancer within
the past two years.
Studies have shown that limits on covered benefits impede an
individual's ability to benefit from early detection of or screening for
cancer, in particular colorectal cancer.([3],[4]) The less extensive the
coverage, the less likely a person is to get screened. Furthermore, doctors
often do not refer people for tests if they believe those tests are not
covered by insurance. ([5])
Many Insurance Plans Limit Coverage
A recent Health Insurance Association of America (HIAA) report found
that many health plans do not currently provide coverage for the full range
of screening tests when not required by law. The report states: "Most
private insurers will only cover colonoscopies for high risk populations"
and affirms that health insurance coverage is a factor in low screening
rates. ([6])
"Getting people to seek a colon cancer screen is difficult enough;
adding insurance barriers makes it almost impossible," said Dr. David
Johnson, immediate past president of the American College of
Gastroenterology. "But 26 states allow insurance companies to make getting
a colonoscopy a chore."
About the Report Card Coalition
Launched in 2004, the Colorectal Cancer Legislation Report Card
initiative is supported by a coalition that includes the American Cancer
Society Cancer Action Network, American College of Gastroenterology,
American Gastroenterological Association, American Society of Colon and
Rectal Surgeons, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, C3:
Colorectal Cancer Coalition, Colon Cancer Alliance, Hadassah, Prevent
Cancer Foundation, The Colon Club, The Jay Monahan Center for
Gastrointestinal Health, and the Entertainment Industry Foundation's
National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (EIF's NCCRA).
Now entering its fifth year, the Colorectal Cancer Legislative Report
Card initiative continues to make an impact -- galvanizing the most
influential organizations in the fight against colon cancer in order to
generate crucial awareness of the importance of early screening, and to
impact the legislative landscape in a long list of states. The Report Card
has become an important tool used by advocates at the state level in the
effort to enact legislation requiring insurers to cover CRC screening. When
the Report Card Initiative began in 2004, 18 states had passed screening
legislation. As of 2008, 24 states and the District of Columbia have passed
legislation, and there is legislation pending in a number of other states.
"We are making progress, but we are not there yet," said Lisa Paulsen,
CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation. "The evidence shows that
colonoscopies cost less and save lives. The states that do not yet require
insurance coverage can help their citizens live longer and healthier lives
by enhancing access to lifesaving colonoscopy screening."
Contact: Jennifer Burke Burke PR
203-405-1479 burkepr@gmail.com
SOURCE Colorectal Cancer Legislation Report Card
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Related links:
http://www.nccra.org
CONTACT:
Jennifer Burke of Burke PR, +1-203-405-1479,
burkepr@gmail.com, for Colorectal Cancer Legislation Report Card
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