Congratulations to Colorado, Kentucky, Maine and Pennsylvania for passing colorectal cancer screening legislation!

For the first time there are now more states
receiving an A than an F.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for men and women combined in the United States, but it doesn't have to be. Colorectal cancer can be successfully treated more than 90% of the time when detected early.

Unfortunately, there is no federal legislation requiring insurance providers to cover the cost of preventative screenings, leaving many people uncertain whether or not these screenings are covered by their insurance providers. In recent years a number of states have adopted preventative screening legislation for colorectal cancer.

In this 2008 Colorectal Cancer Legislation Report Card, find out if your state has passed preventative screening legislation, and what you can do if your state fails to make the grade.

Please note that the flash version of the Report Card has been updated with the most recent legislative updates. The PDF version will be updated soon. Also note that Pennsylvania's legislation went into effect immediately, the legislation in Kentucky and Maine will take effect January 1, 2009, and the legislation in Colorado will take effect July 1, 2009.

Download the 2008 Report Card PDF Now

If not, here's what you can do. Urge your elected officials to champion this cause. Write or e-mail your state legislator to show your concern. Click here. Share this report with your doctor, family and friends. Have you been touched by colorectal cancer? Share your personal story. Click here to download a sample letter that can be used to email your legislators.
If you’ve got a story related to insurance coverage and colorectal cancer screening, we want to hear about it. :: Click here to send us your message.
For additional data from the 2008 Colorectal Cancer Legislation Report Card, including a comparison between colorectal cancer screening legislation and screening legislation for breast cancer, click here. :: Click here to see the report card in PDF format.
For specific questions about your personal healthcare coverage for colorectal cancer screenings, please contact you insurance provider. For additional information, you may also visit your state's Department of Insurance. A listing of the Departments of Insurance for each state is provided here. :: Departments of Insurance for each state
Medicare provides coverage for preventative colorectal cancer screenings in accordance with American Gastroenterological Association and American Cancer Society guidelines. Medicare recipients are entitled to: colonoscopy screenings every 10 years, flexible sigmoidoscopy and double contrast barium enema screenings every 5 years, and annual fecal occult blood tests. :: Visit www.cancer.org for more information
Medicaid coverage for colon cancer screening varies by state. Check with your state's health and human services agency to learn the specific coverage options available to you.
NCCRA and AGA have brought together an unprecedented number of medical and advocacy groups to encourage more states to pass preventative screening legislation. :: Click here for a list of organizations supporting our cause.
This page is designed for Report Card coalition members to download tools for use in promoting the Report Card :: Click here to download our toolkit.
Congressional Quarterly - March 17, 2008, Christine Grimaldi 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. :: Click here to continue reading.
U.S. News & World Report - March 14, 2008, Michelle Andrews Colonoscopies are the butt of many a bad joke-and pun. No wonder: Just reading about what getting one entails is enough to make me squirm. So no matter how many medical experts and celebrity spokespeople try to reassure me that the colon cancer screening test is not so bad, I think they're lying. :: Click here to continue reading.
The Boston Globe - March 13, 2008, Elizabeth Cooney The Colorectal Cancer Legislation Report Card, issued Tuesday by a coalition of advocacy organizations and professional associations, groups Massachusetts with 25 other states that fail to mandate coverage for comprehensive screening tests, including colonoscopy. Nineteen states earned "As" for enacting laws that also look ahead to future recommendations on detecting colon cancer. :: Click here to continue reading.
Philadelphia Business Journal - March 14, 2008, John George 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. :: Click here to continue reading.
Santa Fe New Mexican - March 28, 2008 The National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance has given New Mexico an A grade in its 2008 Legislation Report Card. The state earned top marks for the first time for requiring insurance companies to cover a range of colon cancer screenings, said the alliance, which includes 11 anti-cancer groups. :: Click here to continue reading.
A recent report examines the impact of state colorectal cancer screening legislature. Click here for frequently asked questions about the Impact of colon cancer screening coverage laws.