The American Cancer Society endorses legislation providing health coverage for lifesaving exam; Colon cancer 2nd leading cause of all cancer deaths

American Cancer Society
Sunday, 1 April 2001

The American Cancer Society, the nation's leading voluntary health organization, today hailed the introduction of the "Eliminate Colorectal Cancer Act" by Senators Jesse Helms, R-N.C., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Representatives Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., and Connie Morella, R-Md. The bipartisan legislation will help ensure more Americans have access to potentially life-saving colorectal cancer screening exams. Colorectal cancer claims more than 56 thousand lives each year, making it the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

"It's vitally important that we level the playing field and ensure that all insurance companies are doing their fair share to stop colorectal cancer," said John C. Baity, Chairman of the National Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society. "We have a real opportunity here to save so many lives through early detection screenings. On behalf of the 28 million volunteers and supporters of the cancer society, I thank Representatives Slaughter and Morella as well as Senators Helms and Kennedy for introducing this critically needed legislation."

The Act assures coverage for the full range of effective colorectal cancer screening tests to individuals age 50 and over. Deaths from colorectal cancer could becut in half if the majority of Americans over 50 were routinely screened. Some insurers are failing to offer the full range of preventive testing to their members, even though the overwhelming majority of new cases are diagnosed in individuals who show no symptoms.

When detected and treated at an early stage, patients have better than a 90 percent chance of survival, while patients diagnosed much later see their chances of survival fall below ten percent. Colorectal cancer is almost always preventable through the early identification and removal of pre-cancerous polyps. The polyps are detectable only through preventive tests.

In addition, screenings can be a cost-effective means of reducing the social and economic burdens imposed by the disease. For example, Medicare places the cost of a screening test between $125 to $300, while treatment and end-of-life care for the same disease can cost more than $100,000 per patient. The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service.

For more information, or to contact American Cancer Society, see their website at: www.cancer.org