U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) is advocating for bipartisan legislation aimed at expanding insurance coverage for prostate cancer screenings, particularly for men at high risk of developing the disease. The effort comes during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, a time focused on raising awareness about the prevalence and impact of this illness.
Prostate cancer is diagnosed in an American man every two minutes and is the second most common cancer among men worldwide after lung cancer. In the United States, one in eight men will be affected by prostate cancer, with African American men facing a higher rate of one in six. Early detection greatly improves survival rates.
The proposed Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Screening for High-risk Insured Men (HIM) Act, introduced by Senators Boozman and Cory Booker (D-NJ), would mandate that private health insurance plans cover preventive prostate cancer screenings without cost-sharing requirements for high-risk individuals. The PSA test remains the primary method for early detection.
“Like many other Americans, my family has experienced the impact of prostate cancer,” said Boozman. “Increasing access to screening for this disease can 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.”
Supporters of the bill include organizations such as the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). Chris Collier, Executive Director of the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation, stated: “The Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation heartily supports the efforts of Senator Boozman to expand insurance coverage for prostate cancer screenings for high-risk men. When detected early through screening, a diagnosis can lead to treatments that are far more effective and achieve favorable outcomes. The senator’s efforts will provide more opportunities for men to be screened and will undoubtedly help save more lives.”
Matt Glanville, ACS CAN Arkansas Government Relations Director, added: “The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) continues to support the PSA Screening for HIM Act. We believe 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. 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.”
Lisa A. Lacasse, President of ACS CAN, also commented: “Out-of-pocket costs such as co-pays can be a barrier to accessing early detection. No one should be at a disadvantage against cancer. The PSA Screening for HIM Act will 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.”
The full text of the bill is available online.
