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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2021 - 2022 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	March 18, 2021 02:22 PM
From:	Senator Michele Brooks
To:	All Senate members
Subject:	Updating PA Law regarding Insurance Coverage for Colorectal Cancer Screening to coincide with 2018 American Cancer Society Recommendations

I will soon be introducing legislation to update Pennsylvania law regarding insurance coverage for colorectal cancer screening to coincide with the recommendations made by the American Cancer Society in 2018. In the United States, colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer diagnosed among adults and the second leading cause of death from cancer, leading to over 50,000 deaths annually.  The American Cancer Society recommends that adults age 45 and older with an average risk of colorectal cancer undergo regular screening.  Results from randomized controlled trials of colorectal cancer screening have demonstrated mortality reductions associated with the detection of advanced neoplasia in asymptomatic adults. Screening can often find colorectal cancer early.  The death rate of colorectal cancer has been dropping for several decades.  One reason for this is that colorectal polyps are now more often found by screening and removed before they can develop into cancers.  When colorectal cancer is found at an early state before it has spread, the five-year relative survival rate is about 90%. According to the Division of Health Informatics, Pennsylvania Department of Health, 2018:  Approximately one out of 22 Pennsylvanians will develop colorectal cancer in their lifetime.  In 2016, 2,532 Pennsylvanians died from colorectal cancer, and it was the second leading cause of cancer death in Pennsylvanians, accounting for 8.9 percent of all cancer deaths in the state.  Approximately one out of 54 Pennsylvanians will die of colorectal cancer. We need to be vigilant in continuing to decrease the amount of Pennsylvanians dying from colorectal cancer, and one simple way in doing so is to encourage and allow for earlier screening.  This legislation simply requires insurance coverage of colorectal cancer screenings at age 45 based off the 2018 American Cancer Society recommendation, rather than age 50 based off the old 2008 recommendation. Thank you for your consideration in cosponsoring this important legislation.

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