H.C.R. 2

1

RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING CANCER
2 SCREENING
3 2000 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Marda Dillree
6 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR
7 ENCOURAGING PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES AND EMPLOYERS TO
8 INCLUDE INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE SCREENING AND DETECTION OF
9 BREAST, COLORECTAL, AND PROSTATE CANCER.
10 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
11 WHEREAS, the only states without mandates for private health plans to cover or offer
12 coverage of mammography screening are Utah and Wyoming;
13 WHEREAS, scientific evidence has demonstrated that mammography is safe and effective
14 and is the best way to detect breast cancers early, when they are most treatable, and that additional
15 lives are saved if women over the age of 40 get mammograms every year;
16 WHEREAS, the Department of Health is required to provide subsidized screening
17 mammography for low-income women, and all state Medicaid programs cover mammography
18 screenings;
19 WHEREAS, breast cancer affects more than 175,000 women in the United States each
20 year;
21 WHEREAS, colorectal cancer, which is diagnosed in 131,000 Americans annually, is the
22 primary cause of cancer death in the millions of Americans who have never used tobacco;
23 WHEREAS, early detection testing for colorectal cancer has been definitively proven to
24 consistently lower disease specific mortality, yet most Americans have not been screened for
25 colorectal cancer;
26 WHEREAS, early-detection testing for colorectal cancer is arguably the most powerful,
27 underused lifesaving examination available in the United States;

28 WHEREAS, colorectal screening helps prevent colon cancer through early detection of
29 polyps before they progress into cancer;
30 WHEREAS, prostate cancer affects 1 in 9 men in the United States and causes 37,000
31 deaths annually;
32 WHEREAS, annual prostate testing for men between the ages of 50 and 75 is the best way
33 to find prostate cancer and potentially save thousands of lives; and
34 WHEREAS, screening for breast, colorectal and prostate cancer facilitates early detection
35 which extends many lives, reduces treatment and costs of treatment and improves the quality of
36 life for cancer patients:
37 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
38 Governor concurring therein, encourage employers within the state of Utah to become better
39 educated about the benefits of regular mammography, colorectal, and prostate cancer screening and
40 to provide insurance coverage for annual screening for middle aged and older employees.
41 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor encourage health
42 insurance companies in Utah to cover or offer to cover in all health insurance policies, annual
43 mammography, colorectal, and prostate cancer screening.
44 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor encourage all
45 citizens of Utah to become better educated about the health benefits and health care cost benefits
46 of early cancer detection through mammography, colorectal, and prostate cancer screening.
47 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to each of Utah's
48 Chambers of Commerce and the Utah Health Insurance Association.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-11-00 10:26 AM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel