Congressional Quarterly

March 17, 2008, Christine Grimaldi

New State Laws Require Providers to Cover Colon Cancer Screening

More than half the U.S. population is now covered by new state laws requiring insurance providers to cover colon cancer screening tests.

The laws now cover 54 percent of the population, up from the 49 percent covered at the end of 2006, according to an Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) news release. The EIF's National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance and other public health organizations issued the findings in their 2008 Colorectal Cancer Legislation Report Card.

The report card grades the five states - Nebraska, New Mexico, Washington, Alaska and Minnesota - that enacted new or more updated laws in 2007, the release said. All but Minnesota received an "A" for their coverage. According to the release, Minnesota received a C grade because its law is vague and does not specify which types of screening must be covered.

The coalition also issued an A grade to 19 states based on whether their laws complied with screening guidelines of various organizations that were current during the 2007 evaluation process. Those organizations are the American Cancer Society, American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).

Legislation that is "A" level "also takes into account future advances, which is particularly crucial this year as screening guidelines have recently been updated for 2008," the release said.

But 26 states received a grade of "D" or "F" for failing to guarantee screening coverage, the release said.

Screening rates in the top-graded states grew 40 percent faster than in those without the coverage laws, according to a 2006 American Cancer Society analysis cited.

Early diagnosis of colon cancer carries a five-year survival rate of 90 percent, but only 10 percent of patients are expected to survive that long when the disease is far advanced, the release said. The cost of treatment also increases as cancers progress, from an average $30,000 for early stage cancer treatment to $120,000 when colon cancer is far advanced, the release cited from a recent ACG report.

Colon, or colorectal, cancer is the second most deadly cancer among U.S. men and women, the release said. Regular screening could prevent up to 60 percent of deaths, the release said, citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.