Colon cancer, which kills nearly 57,000 people each year, is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women, and the second most common cause of cancer-related death in America. But this deadly disease can be controlled and potentially conquered if caught in the earliest stages. The survival rate for colon cancer when it is detected at an early, localized stage is 90%.
In 1997, Congress made screening for colon cancer a covered benefit for every Medicare recipient. But hurdles to screening still exist. According to the Centers for Disease Control, screening for colon cancer lags far behind screening for other cancers. The Screen for Life Act of 2003 aims to address these barriers, and encourage more Americans to take advantage of this life-saving procedure.
The Screen for Life Act, first introduced in February 2002, would: · Ensure screening colonoscopy will not count toward a senior''s Medicare deductible · Require Medicare to provide reimbursement for the necessary consultation with a doctor before the procedure · Increase the payment rates for colonoscopies performed in hospital outpatient and ambulatory surgical facilities
"Heightened awareness and greater access to treatment are working, but we can do more," Lieberman said. "Modern technology has blessed us with extremely accurate screening tools, in particular the colonoscopy - which results in higher colon cancer identification rates and better long-term survival rates due to early detection. Colon cancer is a formidable foe, but this bill will make a difference in the fight against it." "I am hopeful that our legislation will not only increase Medicare patients' access to life-saving colon cancer screening, but also increase awareness of the need for these vital screenings," Collins said. "The sad irony is that cancer of the colon is probably the most treatable and survivable of all cancers, but only if it is caught early. If detected and treated early, colon cancer is curable in more than 90 percent of diagnosed cases. Despite the fact that we have extremely effective screening tests for colon cancer, our screening rates for colon cancer - even among those Americans who are most at risk - are woefully low. We need to reverse this trend, and our bill aims to do just that."
"Early detection provides us with the best defense against colon cancer," Hollings said. "By providing access to medical consultations and ensuring that colonoscopies do not count toward a patient's deductible, this bill encourages individuals to take the preventive measures needed to detect and treat colon cancer. The result will be increased survival rates and decreased medical treatment costs."
"The Colon Cancer Screen for Life Act gives Medicare recipients a far greater chance of surviving this deadly form of cancer, and it offers hope to those families facing a difficult diagnosis," Landrieu said. "Early detection makes such a difference in treatment options for colon cancer. It literally means the difference between surviving or not. I fully support a measure that gives Medicare recipients the greatest chance for survival."