Kentucky Passes the Colon Cancer Screening Act - HB 415
Governor Steve Beshear signed the Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Act (HB 415) into law on April 15, 2008 in the Rotunda of the Capitol in Frankfort. This represents a huge opportunity for the Commonwealth in a fight against the #2 preventable cancer killer.
How did we get here?
On Wednesday, April 2, 2008, the Colon Cancer Prevention Project came closer to achieving their mission when the Kentucky Senate passed the Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Act (HB 415) with a 38 to 0 vote. The House, led by bill sponsor Chairman Tom Burch, passed the bill February 26, 2008 with a 94 to 0 vote.
The Act will establish a colon cancer screening program within the Kentucky Department of Public Health to provide screening services to uninsured individuals age 50 to 64 and others at high risk. HB 415 will ensure that all Kentuckians will be educated as to the need for this cancer screening. It will assist and navigate the uninsured to seek the screening necessary to save lives.
Colon cancer is the third most commonly occurring cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in Kentucky. Data from the Kentucky Cancer Registry show that there are an estimated 2,753 new colon cancer cases diagnosed and 930 deaths from colon cancer annually.
Our Mission
The mission of the Colon Cancer Prevention Project is to eliminate preventable colon cancer death and suffering by increasing screening rates through education, advocacy and health systems improvement in Kentucky and surrounding communities.
