Philadelphia Business Journal

March 14, 2008, John George

PA Fails, NJ gets "A"

The National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance gave Pennsylvania a failing grade this week for failing to require insurance companies operating in the state to cover colon cancer screenings.

Pennsylvania was one of 26 states to receive a "D" or "F" from the alliance and a coalition of 11 leading public health groups.

New Jersey, which enacted colon cancer screening legislation in 2001, received an "A."

Colon cancer is one of the most treatable cancers, if caught early.

An alliance spokesperson said about 150,000 people are expected to be diagnosed and 50,000 will die from colon cancer in the United States this year. "Yet to date," she said, "Pennsylvania doesn't have any legislation that requires insurance companies to cover comprehensive screenings, which cost an average of $3000."

Five states passed colon cancer screening laws in 2006, bringing to 24 the total number of states that have approved such measures.

"We made real progress this past year in the fight against colon cancer," said Daniel E. Smith, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. "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."