SENATE BILL NO. 253 "An Act relating to insurance coverage for costs of prostate cancer detection." Senator Jim Duncan was invited to join the committee and briefly spoke on behalf of the bill. Carole Edwards, certified oncology nurse, was invited to join the committee and testified on behalf of the bill. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States for men. Hereditary does play a part in prostate cancer. Currently, the American Cancer Society guidelines recommend men over the age of fifty have an annual digital rectal exam along with a prostate screening antigen test. This is a simple blood draw costing approximately $60. However, this is not paid for by the insurance companies, even high risk men. The American Cancer Society also recommends doing this test on high risk men at age forty. (tape change to SFC-96 #58, Side 1 She said she supported this bill because she would like to see less of her patients die or undergo extensive therapy. The sooner this cancer is found the easier it is to cure and there is a higher success rate. It is also less expensive to treat an earlier found cancer as opposed to a later found one. Insurance companies should pay for this test for men. Senator Rieger said he had information that the same problem existed for women as far as pap smear test. Ms. Edwards said as far as she was aware pap smear tests were paid for by insurance. She further believed that more lives would be saved if American Cancer Society guidelines were followed and the PAS test was covered by insurance to make it more available to all society. Mr. Gene Dau, AARP, VFW was invited to join the committee and testified on behalf of the bill. He felt there should be more encouragement for the screening of this disease and said it should be part of an annual check-up. He urged the committee to pass this bill. Janet Parker, Deputy Director, Division of Retirement & Benefits was invited to join the committee. She answered questions for the committee regarding the fiscal notes. In response to Senator Rieger's question regarding pap smear exams, she said the active plan covered this exam but the retiree plan did not. She said that although the PAS exam would cost the plan money it was believe that the entire cost would be borne by the employees themselves because this exam is performed during a routine physical which is only provided for state employees under SBS option one plan which the employee pays for. The revised fiscal note can reflect that. Senator Sharp asked if this bill would cover PAS under retirement and Ms. Parker advised that it would because it would be a state law mandating coverage. Senator Duncan said that regarding the fiscal note what is missing is what the long-term savings would be. If cancer is detected early there is a substantial long-term savings. Senator Frank asked how the state decided this coverage. Ms. Parker said there is no financial analysis done. Health benefits are collectively bargained and whoever is on the bargaining team and has a preference for a specific type of coverage is how this is handled. Co-chairman Halford indicated the high cost of just drugs for one who has been diagnosed with the disease. Senator Duncan referred to amendment #1 and said it had a better definition as to when this test should be covered and under what circumstances. This is supported by the American Cancer Society. It defines the specific age group and asked the committee to consider it as an amendment to the bill. Mr. Bill Chism was invited to join the committee. His first two PAS exams were covered by Aetna Insurance but then he was advised that this was not a proper exam and that they had made a mistake covering the last two exams. Mr. Chism said that he felt if his dentist exam was covered then this exam should be considered to be paid for. It is not an undue burden on the insurance companies to cover this. He said he supported this bill. Senator Duncan referred to the pap smear exam and said he had not problem with his bill being expanded to also cover this. Senator Sharp offered amendment #1 and without objection it was adopted. Co-chairman Halford held the bill in committee and asked Senator Rieger to further check cancer screening.