Bucshon leads bill to increase access to prostate cancer screenings

Individuals at high risk of developing prostate cancer would have better access to screenings under a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN).

“As a doctor, I know that the key to successful treatment is early detection, especially with life-threatening diseases like prostate cancer,” Rep. Bucshon said. “I am proud to introduce bipartisan legislation to help increase the availability of this life-saving preventive care.”  

The congressman on March 28 sponsored the Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening for High-risk Insured Men Act, H.R. 1826, also known as the PSA Screening for HIM Act, with lead original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY).

If enacted, the bill would require group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage for prostate cancer screenings without the imposition of cost-sharing requirements, according to the congressional record bill summary.

“The PSA Screening for HIM Act will help increase access to screening for those who need it most by removing financial barriers that often stand in the way of early detection,” said Rep. Bucshon.

Rep. Clark pointed out that prostate cancer is the nation’s second-leading cause of cancer death for men, with the risk for black men dying from low-grade prostate cancer double that of white men. 

“While most men who are diagnosed with localized, low-grade prostate cancer do not usually die of prostate cancer, studies show that doctors can sometimes underestimate the risk of death from low-grade prostate cancer in black men,” said the congresswoman. “The PSA Screening for HIM Act would remove cost-sharing roadblocks of PSA testing for those at highest risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer, black males and men with family history of the disease.”

H.R. 1826 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.