Rush, Bucshon Introduce Legislation To Ensure Free Prostate Cancer Screenings for African-Americans and Others at Increased Risk

Press Release

Today, U.S. Representatives Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) and Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-Ind.) introduced H.R. 1176, the Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening for High-risk Insured Men (PSA Screening for HIM) Act. This legislation would waive deductibles, copayments, and coinsurances for prostate cancer screenings for those with a family history of prostate cancer or who are African-American.

"No one should ever need to forego a possibly lifesaving cancer screening due to cost," said Rush. "Early detection can quite literally be the difference between life and death when it comes to prostate cancer. This legislation has the potential to save lives by eliminating the cost barriers to screening for those with the highest risk of developing prostate cancer."

"The key to successful treatment of prostate cancer is early detection of the disease. The PSA Screening for HIM Act will help save lives by removing financial barriers that can prevent men who are most at risk -- African Americans and those with a first-degree family history of prostate cancer -- from getting screened for prostate cancer and catching the disease in its early and treatable stage. While our attention is focused on fighting COVID-19, we must continue to advance important health care concerns," said Bucshon.

African-Americans are 1.8 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than white men and are over twice as likely to die from this deadly disease. Additionally, men with a father or brother who has developed metastatic prostate cancer are at twice the risk of having prostate cancer as men without a family history.

Early detection is critical. The rate of survival from prostate cancer is almost 100 percent if caught early but is just 30 percent if diagnosed in its late stages. It is estimated that more than 34,000 men will die from prostate cancer in 2021.

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