title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO REQUIRE INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENINGS FOR INDIVIDUALS UNDER 45
WHEREAS, in the United States colon cancer and rectal cancer, collectively known as colorectal cancer (CRC), is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women; and
WHEREAS, according to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 108,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with CRC, with one in five of those cases occurring in younger adults under the age of 55; and
WHEREAS, since the 1990s, medical experts have seen increasing levels of CRC in young adults by about 3 percent per year; and
WHEREAS, according to experts at the International Agency for Research on Cancer, this increase is proportionally a lot higher among adults in their 20s and 30s; and
WHEREAS, despite these rising levels of CRC in younger populations, The Affordable Care Act (ACA) only requires private insurers and Medicare to cover the costs of colorectal cancer screening tests after an individual turns 45 years old; and
WHEREAS, as a result of lack of insurance coverage for these detection screenings, the majority of younger patients are only seeking medical assistance when they begin presenting with symptoms - and CRC symptoms emerge when the cancer has progressed to more aggressive stages, like stage 3 or 4; and
WHEREAS, for those with regional stage colon cancer, there is less than a 75% chance of survival 5 years from diagnosis; and
WHEREAS, for those with distant stage colon cancer, there is less than a 15% chance of survival 5 years from diagnosis; and
WHEREAS, for those with regional stage rectal cancer, there is less than a 75% chance of survival 5 years from diagnosis; and
WHEREAS, for those with distant stage rectal cancer, there is less than a 20% chance of survival 5 years from diagnosis; and
WHERE...
Click here for full text