File #: Res 0868-2005    Version: * Name: Health insurance companies to cover the cost of colorectal screening procedures for those over 50 years of age.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Health
On agenda: 3/9/2005
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling upon the New York State Assembly to pass A1899 and the New York State Senate to pass S1551, legislation that would require health insurance companies doing business in the State of New York to cover the cost of colorectal screening procedures for those over 50 years of age and for those under 50 years of age who are considered at high risk for the disease.
Sponsors: James S. Oddo, Dennis P. Gallagher, Andrew J. Lanza, Helen D. Foster, James F. Gennaro, Vincent J. Gentile, Margarita Lopez, Michael C. Nelson, Christine C. Quinn, Madeline T. Provenzano, Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., Tony Avella, Gale A. Brewer, Lewis A. Fidler, Letitia James, Melinda R. Katz, Michael E. McMahon, Bill Perkins, Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., Larry B. Seabrook, Helen Sears, Kendall Stewart, David I. Weprin, Philip Reed, G. Oliver Koppell
Council Member Sponsors: 25

Res. No. 868

 

Resolution calling upon the New York State Assembly to pass A1899 and the New York State Senate to pass S1551, legislation that would require health insurance companies doing business in the State of New York to cover the cost of colorectal screening procedures for those over 50 years of age and for those under 50 years of age who are considered at high risk for the disease.

 

By Council Members Oddo, Gallagher, Lanza, Foster, Gennaro, Gentile, Lopez, Nelson, Quinn, Provenzano, Addabbo Jr., Avella, Brewer, Fidler, James, Katz, McMahon, Perkins, Recchia Jr. Seabrook, Sears, Stewart, Weprin, Reed and Koppell

 

Whereas, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the United States; and

                     Whereas, According to the American Cancer Society, each year, nearly 150,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with colorectal cancer; and

Whereas, The American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 60,000 people in the United States die from colorectal cancer annually; and

Whereas, The National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (NCCRA) estimates that the total number of lives lost annually is more than the number of lives lost from breast cancer and AIDS combined; and

Whereas, According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), approximately 1,500 New Yorkers die from colorectal cancer annually, despite the fact that this disease is, according to the NCCRA, curable 90% of the time if detected early; and

Whereas, Screening methods able to detect colorectal cancer in its early stages include colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, fecal occult blood testing (FOBT), double contrast barium enema, and computer tomographic colonoscopy (virtual colonoscopy); and

Whereas, DOHMH estimates that 250,000 New Yorkers age 50 and over have undetected colon polyps, which can develop into colorectal cancer; and

Whereas, DOHMH recommends those who are 50 years of age and older undergo periodic colorectal cancer screening; and 

Whereas, People should be encouraged to get screened for this disease, and that they should not be discouraged from utilizing life-saving screening procedures because of the high costs that are involved; and

Whereas, Health insurance companies that do business in the State of New York should be required to cover the costs of such necessary and life-saving screening procedures; and

Whereas, A1899 and S1551 have been introduced in the New York State Legislature, which would require insurance companies to cover the costs of these life-saving screening procedures; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Assembly to pass A1899 and the New York State Senate to pass S1551, legislation that would require health insurance companies doing business in the State of New York to cover the cost of colorectal screening procedures for those over 50 years of age and for those under 50 years of age who are considered at high risk for the disease.

 

DP

LS#1751

2/9/05