Res. No. 190 Title Resolution calling upon the United States Senate to adopt S. 710, in relation to requiring group and individual health insurance providers to cover colorectal screenings. Body By Council Members Perkins, Quinn, Felder, Fidler, Gennaro, Monserrate and Nelson; also Council Member Koppell Whereas, Colorectal cancer is a disease in which the cells of the colon or the rectum become abnormal and begin to divide without control, forming a mass called a polyp; and Whereas; Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States; and Whereas, The National Cancer Institute (NCI) reports that small polyps, if not detected and removed promptly, will evolve into colorectal cancer within 5 to 15 years; and Whereas, The National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (NCCRA) estimates that 130,200 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year with 56,300 deaths due to the disease; and Whereas, NCCRA reports that approximately two-thirds of the deaths from colorectal cancer are preventable with regular screening and simple prevention techniques; and Whereas, For most Americans, standard screening with sigmoidoscopy and checking the stool for blood should begin at the age of 50; and Whereas, Individuals younger than the age of 50 with a family history of colorectal cancer, polyps, a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease or colon cancer should receive regular screening; and Whereas, The Screen for Life program, initiated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly the Health Care Financing Administration), and NCI, informs and educates men and women over the age of 50 regarding the importance of having regular colorectal screening tests; and Whereas, The American Cancer Society has been instrumental in educating the public regarding colorectal cancer; and Whereas, April 21st through April 27th is National Minority Cancer Awareness Week; and Whereas, Regular exercise and a healthy diet with an adequate intake of folic acid and calcium may help in the prevention of colorectal cancer, but they are no substitute for regular screening; and Whereas, Medicare and Medicaid already offer colorectal cancer screenings, but many private group and individual insurance providers do not; and Whereas, The United States Senate is currently considering a bill (S. 710), which would amend the Public Health Service Act and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act to require group and individual health insurance providers to cover colorectal cancer screenings to any plan participant over the age of 50 or any plan participant under the age of 50 who is at high risk for colorectal cancer or who may have symptoms or circumstances that indicate a need for colorectal cancer screening; and Whereas, The implementation of such screenings would aid in reducing the number of individuals who develop colorectal cancer while also reducing the number of deaths due to the disease; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the New York City Council calls upon the United States Senate to adopt S. 710, in relation to requiring group and individual health insurance providers to cover colorectal screenings. |1013|