March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month! You may want to know how you can get involved, and we’re glad you asked! This month is a perfect time to:
- Review the symptoms and warning signs for colon cancer
- Assess your own risk factors
- Ask your family members whether colon cancer runs in the family
- Consult your calendar to see if you need to schedule a colonoscopy this year
- Call your doctor or endoscopy center to ask if there are any colon cancer-related programs going on in the community
- Register for a 5k or other race. You may even find a race that is paired with Colon Cancer Awareness Month
March is also a good time to brush up on new legislation about colon cancer. Did you know that your state gets a “report card” on their requirements of health care providers to cover the cost of a colon cancer screening? The National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance and a coalition of groups started issuing Colorectal Cancer Legislation Report Cards about 10 years ago. Today, 30 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws.
You are probably interested to know if your state made the grade! You can click here to check whether your state passed or failed on its Colorectal Cancer Legislation Report Card. If your state fell a little short, there is something that you can do about it. You can write to your legislator and encourage him or her to pass this incredibly important law. We think this would be a perfect way to celebrate Colon Cancer Awareness Month!
The Affordable Care Act ensures that everyone between the ages of 50-75 is entitled to a no-cost screening colonoscopy for colon cancer. There are only a few exceptions:
- All grandfathered health insurance plans (grandfathered plans with laws requiring coverage for colon cancer screening are still required to cover screenings based on those laws)
- Insurance plans that have not changed since March 23, 2010
The challenge remains if you need a colonoscopy and are younger than 50 and live in a state that has a D or F. Your healthcare provider may require a high co-pay for a screening or not provide any coverage at all, regardless of whether you have a family history or personal history of colon cancer or gastrointestinal issues.
We’ve come a long way in spreading colon cancer awareness and increasing screening rates, but we haven’t arrived yet! Until every state has an A+ rating, there’s always more that we can do to appeal to our legislators, increase colon cancer screening rates, and improve colon cancer education and awareness. Thank you for doing your part to help your state make an A (Source: Entertainment Industry Foundation).