PRINTER'S NO. 2990
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2236
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY WHITE, MARCELL, SCHMITT, SCHEUREN, STAATS,
STENDER, CIRESI, JOZWIAK, DALEY, NEILSON, KINSEY, MAJOR,
FLICK, CONKLIN AND GREEN, APRIL 25, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, APRIL 25, 2024
AN ACT
Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating
to emergency management services, providing for insurance
coverage for cancer and cardiovascular screenings for
firefighters.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 7715. Insurance coverage for cancer and cardiovascular
screenings for firefighters.
(a) Requirements.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, each health, sickness or accident insurance policy or
contract issued on behalf of the Commonwealth or a municipality
for a firefighter shall also provide the following:
(1) Coverage for cancer screenings for the firefighter
in accordance with the following:
(i) The minimum coverage required shall include all
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costs associated with the cancer screenings, which shall
occur at least once every three years during the period
in which the individual is employed as a firefighter.
(ii) The cancer screenings shall determine whether
the firefighter suffers from a cancer and whether the
cancer may have been caused by exposure to a carcinogen
referred to in section 108(r) of the act of June 2, 1915
(P.L.736, No.338), known as the Workers' Compensation
Act.
(iii) The cancer screenings shall also include
screenings for the following cancers:
(A) Liver.
(B) Kidney.
(C) Gall bladder.
(D) Spleen.
(E) Prostate, including prostate-specific
antigen (PSA) screening.
(F) Testicular and scrotal.
(G) Pelvic, including uterine and ovary external
scans and human papillomavirus (HPV) tests.
(H) Thyroid.
(I) Colon.
(J) Lung.
(K) Skin.
(L) Urinary bladder.
(iv) The cancer screenings may include screenings
for oral cancer.
(2) Coverage for cardiovascular screenings for the
firefighter in accordance with the following:
(i) The minimum coverage required shall include all
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costs associated with the cardiovascular screenings,
which shall occur at least once every three years during
the period in which the individual is employed as a
firefighter.
(ii) The cardiovascular screenings shall include
echocardiograms and screenings of the abdominal aorta and
carotid arteries.
(b) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Firefighter." As follows:
(1) An individual who is an employee of the Commonwealth
or a municipality whose duty it is to perform fire
prevention, protection or suppression services.
(2) The term includes:
(i) Emergency medical services personnel employed
within a municipal fire company or a volunteer and
municipal fire company located in this Commonwealth.
(ii) A firefighter at an airport authority located
in this Commonwealth, including a fire suppression
instructor.
(iii) A fire and safety marshal who is a firefighter
employed by the Commonwealth.
(iv) A fire academy instructor employed at the
Pennsylvania State Fire Academy.
(v) An assistant fire marshal employed by the
Commonwealth.
(vi) A forest patrolman or forest technician
employed by the Commonwealth.
"Municipality." A county, city, borough, incorporated town,
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township, home rule municipality, optional plan municipality,
optional charter municipality or similar general purpose unit of
government of this Commonwealth that may be created or
authorized by statute.
Section 2. The addition of 35 Pa.C.S. § 7715 shall apply to
any health, sickness or accident insurance policy or contract
issued or renewed, on behalf of a firefighter of the
Commonwealth or a municipality of this Commonwealth, on or after
the effective date of this section.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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