Get Screened South Dakota!

The South Dakota colorectal cancer screening program has gone statewide!

GetScreenedSD has expanded from six pilot clinics to more than 200 clinics across the state of South Dakota.

People age 50 and over are encouraged to be screened for this preventable cancer, either with a take-home test or a colonoscopy. Financial help is available for those who cannot afford it.

Go to the South Dakota Department of Health to find a testing site near you. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on July 26th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colorectal cancer screening, South Dakota, state screening programs

White House Promotes Preventive Care Provisions of the Affordable Care Act

This afternoon, First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius spoke at George Washington University Hospital to announce the release of new guidelines that will provide free preventive health care services under the Affordable Care Act.

The new guidelines will mean that insurance plan can no longer charge copayments or other fees for a number of preventive services including colorectal cancer screenings.  The regulation does not take effect until Sept. 23, and it only applies to plans that are new after that, meaning that people who stay on their existing plan won’t benefit from the change. Continue reading…

Posted by Catherine Knowles on July 14th, 2010
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | No Comments »
Tags: Affordable Care Act, colorectal cancer screening, Dr. Jill Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama, Secretary Sebelius

Health Care Reform and Colorectal Cancer

We took a look at the Affordable Care Act through a cancer lens in order to better understand how the law will affect the colorectal cancer community.  Whether you favored or opposed enactment of the Affordable Care Act, a full understanding of the new law is essential as it will change many areas of health care.  We put together a webinar that will give you an overview of what is happening when and how it will impact you.  It gives an overview of upcoming implementation deadlines as well as opportunities for patients and advocates to get involved in the implementation process.

If you were not able to join us for the live webinar, you can access a video of the webinar or download the slides from the presentation.

Still have questions about the Affordable Care Act, and how it changes access to colorectal cancer screening and impacts the cost of cancer care?  Email us at Advocacy@FightCRC.org.

Posted by Catherine Knowles on July 13th, 2010
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | No Comments »
Tags: Affordable Care Act, colorectal cancer screening, Health Care Reform, health reform

More Choices Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening Use

When people were offered a personal choice of either FOBT or colonoscopy screening by their primary care provider, more actually completed the test they chose than if only one option was offered.

In a study of  1,000 ethnically and racially diverse people, the lowest percentage had a colonoscopy when that was the only test offered.  More completed fecal occult blood testing if it was the single choice. Overall 65 percent of the 1,000 patients studied were screened after their doctor recommended testing. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on May 8th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, colorectal cancer screening, FOBT

One-Time Flex Sig Cuts Colorectal Cancer Deaths

One flexible sigmoidoscopy screening between the ages of 55 and 64 reduced both colorectal cancer diagnoses and deaths during a randomized clinical trial in the United Kingdom.

After following 170,000 people for more than 11 years, deaths from colorectal cancer were 43 percent lower among those who had a flexible sigmoidoscopy screening.  Diagnosis of colorectal cancer was reduced by 33 percent.

This is the first prospective clinical trial that actually proved that examining the rectum and colon with a scope could reduce colorectal cancer deaths. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on April 30th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colorectal cancer screening, sigmoidoscopy, UK sigmoidoscopy screening trial