Bill Text: HI HB62 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating To Cancer.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-01-23 - Referred to HLT, FIN, referral sheet 1 [HB62 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2017-HB62-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	62
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to cancer.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that "80% by 2018" is an initiative by the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, a working group established by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other national cancer control stakeholders, in which organizations have committed to eliminating colorectal cancer as a major public health problem and are working toward the shared goal of getting eighty per cent of adults aged fifty and older screened for colorectal cancer by 2018.

     The "80% by 2018" initiative is vital to reducing the burden of cancer because:

     (1)  Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in men and women in the United States, and a cause of considerable suffering among more than one hundred forty thousand adults diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year;

     (2)  When adults get screened for colorectal cancer, it can be detected early at a stage when treatment is most likely to be successful, and in some cases, it can be prevented through the detection and removal of precancerous polyps;

     (3)  About twenty-three million people, which is about one in three adults between fifty and seventy-five years old, are not getting tested as recommended;

     (4)  The people less likely to get tested are rural populations, men, those aged fifty to sixty-four, and those with lower education and income;

     (5)  There are several recommended screening test options, including colonoscopy, stool tests such as a guaiac fecal occult blood test or fecal immunochemical test, and sigmoidoscopy;

     (6)  Screening can save lives but only if people get tested; and

     (7)  The best test is the test that gets done.

     The legislature further finds that according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, Hawaii's current screening rate for colorectal cancer is sixty-four per cent.  Hawaii's screening rate, however, when compared to all states ranks in the bottom half, indicating there is more work to be done to increase colorectal cancer screening rates.

     The legislature also finds that the "80% by 2018" initiative's goal of increasing the colorectal cancer screening rate to eighty per cent by 2018 will increase the quality of life for hundreds of people in the State by detecting and preventing death from late stage colorectal cancer and lessening the physical, emotional, and financial burden that may come with a cancer diagnosis.

     The purpose of this Act is to launch a colorectal cancer screening and awareness pilot program to promote and encourage screening through a public awareness campaign to help the State achieve an increase in screening rates in conjunction with the "80% by 2018" initiative.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  There is established the colorectal cancer screening and awareness pilot program, to be administered by the department of health.  The department of health shall:

     (1)  Provide education and outreach to:

         (A)  Educate women and men regarding the risks associated with colorectal cancer and the benefits of screening; and

         (B)  Provide specific education to individuals who are at greater risk for colorectal cancer; and

     (2)  Award grants to health care providers to provide colorectal cancer screening to eligible participants, as described in subsection (b).

     (b)  To be an eligible participant to receive screening assistance pursuant to subsection (a)(2), a person shall:

     (1)  Be at least fifty years of age, or have a high risk for colorectal cancer if under the age of fifty;

     (2)  Be uninsured, or if underinsured have coverage that does not cover the full cost of colorectal cancer screenings;

     (3)  Not be eligible for medical assistance; and

     (4)  Have a gross family income at or below two hundred fifty per cent of the poverty level.

     (c)  Any eligible participant who is:

     (1)  Not at high risk for colorectal cancer may be offered any fecal test assigned a grade of either A or B by the United States Preventive Services Task Force and a follow-up colonoscopy for a positive test result; and

     (2)  At high risk for colorectal cancer shall be provided a colonoscopy as a first-line screening;

provided that grants awarded to health care providers under the colorectal cancer screening and awareness pilot program shall pay the costs for a colonoscopy for eligible participants who lack insurance coverage for the full cost of the follow-up colonoscopy or first-line screening colonoscopy.

     (d)  For purposes of this section, an eligible participant is considered "high risk for colorectal cancer" if the person has:

     (1)  A family history of colorectal cancer;

     (2)  A prior occurrence of cancer or precursor neoplastic polyps;

     (3)  A prior occurrence of a chronic digestive disease condition; or

     (4)  Other predisposing factors, as determined by the department of health.

     (e)  The department of health shall submit to the legislature:

     (1)  A preliminary report no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2018 on the expenditure of funds for the colorectal cancer screening and awareness pilot program as of the date of the preliminary report; and

     (2)  A final report no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2020 on the expenditure of all funds for the colorectal cancer screening and awareness pilot program as of the date of the final report.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $250,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for the colorectal cancer screening and awareness pilot program established pursuant to this Act.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2017, and shall be repealed on June 30, 2020.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Colorectal Cancer Screening and Awareness Pilot Program; Department of Health; Appropriation

 

Description:

Creates the colorectal cancer screening and awareness pilot program within the department of health and appropriates funds for the program.  Repeals on 6/30/2020.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.