Senate Bill 2666

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THAT CERTAIN INSURANCE POLICIES AND CONTRACTS SHALL PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR ALL COLORECTAL CANCER EXAMINATIONS AND LABORATORY TESTS FOR COVERED PERSONS WHO ARE 45 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AND COVERED PERSONS AT HIGH RISK OF COLORECTAL CANCER; TO REQUIRE THE POLICIES TO PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR YEARLY COLONOSCOPIES FOR COVERED PERSONS AT HIGH RISK OF COLORECTAL CANCER IF THE COLONOSCOPY HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED BY THEIR TREATING PHYSICIAN; TO PROVIDE LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. The Legislature finds the following:

(a) Colon and rectal cancers are the second-leading cause of cancer death in Mississippi among men and women;

(b) More than ninety percent (90%) of colorectal cancer cases occur in people aged forty-five (45) or older;

(c) Colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable cancers that can be detected and removed before they become cancerous;

(d) The U.S. Preventive Services Taskforce recommends screening for colorectal cancer in adults aged forty-five (45) years and older;

(e) Early detection reduces health care costs associated with colon and rectal cancer;

(f) If everyone aged forty-five (45) years and older were screened regularly, sixty percent (60%) of deaths from colorectal cancer could be avoided; and

(g) Deaths from colorectal cancer occur disproportionately among those who are underserved or underinsured.

SECTION 2. The following terms shall have the meanings ascribed herein:

(a) "Health insurance policies" means all individual and group health insurance policies providing coverage on an expense-incurred basis, individual and group service or indemnity type contracts issued by a nonprofit corporation, individual and group service contracts issued by a health maintenance organization, all self-insured group arrangements to the extent not preempted by federal law and all managed health care delivery entities of any type or description that are delivered, issued for delivery, continued or renewed on or after July 1, 2022, and providing coverage to any resident of this state.

(b) "Persons at high risk for colorectal cancer" means individuals who face a high risk for colorectal cancer because of:

(i) A personal history of colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps;

(ii) A personal history of chronic inflammatory bowel disease, either Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis;

(iii) A strong family history of colorectal cancer or polyps, including cancer polyps in a first-degree relative [parent, sibling or child] younger than sixty (60) or in two (2) or more first-degree relatives of any age;

(iv) A known family history of hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC); or

(v) The presence of any appropriate recognized gene markers for colorectal cancer or other predisposing factors.

SECTION 3. (1) All health insurance policies shall provide benefits or coverage for all colorectal cancer screenings and laboratory tests to covered persons.

(2) The coverage shall include colorectal cancer screenings and laboratory tests for:

(a) Covered persons who are forty-five (45) years of age or older;

(b) Covered persons at high risk for colorectal cancer;

(c) Covered persons who are experiencing bleeding from the rectum or blood in the stool, or a change in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation, or narrowing of the stool, that lasts more than five (5) days; and

(d) All colorectal cancer examinations, preventative services and laboratory tests assigned a grade of "A" or "B" by the United States Preventative Services Task Force for average risk individuals, including the services that may be assigned a grade "A" or "B" in the future, rather than a fecal occult blood test performed annually and a flexible sigmoidoscopy performed every five (5) years.

(3) The colorectal screening shall involve an examination of the entire colon, including:

(a) The following examinations or laboratory tests:

(i) An annual fecal occult blood test utilizing the take-home multiple sample method, or an annual fecal immunochemical test in conjunction with a flexible sigmoidoscopy every five (5) years;

(ii) A double-contrast barium enema every five (5) years; or

(iii) An initial colonoscopy or other medical test or procedure for colorectal cancer screening and a follow-up colonoscopy if the results of the initial colonoscopy, test or procedure are abnormal, rather than a colonoscopy performed every ten (10) years; and

(b) Any additional medically recognized screening tests for colorectal cancer determined in consultation with an appropriate health care provider.

(4) All health insurance policies shall cover yearly colonoscopies for covered persons at high risk for colorectal cancer if the colonoscopy has been recommended by their treating physician.

(5) The Legislature encourages all entities that issue health insurance policies to limit out-of-pocket expenses and deductibles for colonoscopy procedures for the covered persons listed in subsection (3) of this section.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2022.