PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH GARNERS SUPPORT FOR BOOZMAN LEGISLATION EXPANDING COVERAGE FOR PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING

The following information was released by Arkansas Senator John Boozman:

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) is championing hisbipartisan legislation to expand insurance coverage for prostate cancer screenings amongmen at high risk for the disease.

Every two minutes in the United States, a man is diagnosed with prostate cancerthe second most common form of cancer in men after lung cancer worldwide. Prostate cancer will affect one in eight American men and disproportionately affects African American men at a diagnosis rate of one in six. Fortunately, if caught in the early stages, prostate cancer is almost 100 percent survivable.

TheProstate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Screening for High-risk Insured Men (HIM) Act, introduced alongside Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), wouldrequire private health insurance plans to cover preventive prostate cancer screenings without imposing any cost-sharing requirements for men who are at high risk of developing prostate cancer.Currently, the Prostate-Specific Antigen test is the most effective toolfor detection and increasing its accessibility can make a significant difference in health outcomes, ultimately savinglives.

Like many other Americans, my family has experienced the impact of prostate cancer, said Boozman . Increasing access to screening for this diseasecan spare millions of men and their families from its worst outcomes.I am proud to lead this policy effort with the support of Arkansans deeply engaged in keeping prostate cancer treatable and survivable.

Heres what some stakeholders are saying about the measure and Boozmans leadership:

The Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation heartily supports the efforts of Senator Boozman to expand insurance coverage for prostate cancer screenings for high-risk men, said Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation Executive Director Chris Collier . When detected early through screening, a diagnosis can lead to treatments that are far more effective and achieve favorable outcomes. The senators efforts will provide more opportunities for men to be screened and will undoubtedly help save more lives.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) continues to support thePSA Screening for HIM Act. Webelieve that all individuals at high risk for prostate cancer who decide to move forward with screening after an informed decision-making discussion with their health care provider should have barrier-free access to that screening with no required cost-sharing, said ACS CAN Arkansas Government Relations Director Matt Glanville . We thank Sens. Boozman and Booker for introducing this bipartisan legislation and look forward to continuing our work with them to get this bill passed.

Out-of-pocket costs such as co-pays can be a barrier to accessing early detection, said American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network President Lisa A. Lacasse . No one should be at a disadvantage against cancer.ThePSA Screening for HIM Actwill help remove a major obstacle that can prevent those at high risk for the disease from getting the screening tests they need to find prostate cancer at the earliest, most treatable stage. We urge the House and the Senate to pass this legislation to help reduce prostate cancer disparities and save more lives.