CRC Legislation

Olympus is committed to working with policymakers, healthcare experts, physicians and patient organizations to expand Colorectal Cancer awareness and access to screening. As a global leader in providing solutions for digestive disease diagnosis and treatment, it is our goal to be a resource on this important social cause by bringing our expertise to the public policy debate in public forums, research initiatives and educational campaigns.

The Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment Act (H.R. 1189)

Even with the recent passage of healthcare reform legislation, passage of H.R. 1189 is needed to win the fight against colorectal cancer. While the recently enacted health care reform legislation will lower the cost of preventative services like colonoscopies for many Americans, it will not do anything to increase awareness about the importance of early detection and screening.

Today, even among those with health insurance, screening rates for colorectal cancer are much too low – less than half of those who should be screened get screened!

The Facts

• Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the United States.
• Every three and a half minutes someone is diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
• Every nine minutes someone dies from colorectal cancer.

Screening Saves Lives

• 30,000 to 44,000 lives a year could be saved if colorectal cancer screening was fully accessible and utilized.
• Screening saves lives in two ways - by preventing cancer when pre-cancerous polyps are removed and by finding this type of cancer in its earliest, most curable stages.
• Despite scientific evidence supporting the benefits, preventative screening for this disease in the United States remains low. Every five seconds someone who should be screened for colorectal cancer is not.
• The most common symptom of colorectal cancer is no symptoms at all, which is why regular screening is critical.

What H.R. 1189 Does:

• Establishes a program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide screening and treatment for colorectal cancer.
• Targets screening services toward individuals between 50 – 64 years of age (the pre-Medicare population), or those under 50 years old but with high risk of such cancer.
• Gives priority to low-income, uninsured and underinsured individuals who would not otherwise have coverage for colorectal cancer screening, diagnostic follow up, and/or treatment.
• Provides case management and referrals for medical treatment of screened individuals.
• Ensures the full continuum of cancer care for individuals screened, including the appropriate follow-up for abnormal tests, diagnostic and therapeutic services, and treatment for detected cancers.
• Provides education and training for healthcare professionals on the detection of colorectal cancer.
• Develops and disseminates findings and outcomes data in order to evaluate the program for cost, effectiveness and reach, which will inform ongoing community screening and treatment efforts.
• According to an independent study by The Lewin Group, the provisions in this bill will save Medicare billions of dollars.

Conclusion: The Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment Act will establish a life-saving program to fight colorectal cancer, one of the most easily preventable cancers, while saving thousands of lives and billions of dollars.

For additional information on H.R. 1189 visit www.fightcolorectalcancer.org.

*The information seen on this page was provided by Colorectal Cancer Coalition (C3).