Benefits July 29, 2008

Cancer Screening Coverage Saves Employers Money

July 29, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - C-Change, a national cancer coalition of leaders from the government, business, and non-profit sectors, is launching an initiative encouraging companies to assure their employee health insurance policies include coverage for cancer prevention and screening services and implement a strategy to educate employees about the importance of these services.
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The “Making the Business Case” initiative is based on the growing evidence that it is far more costly to pay for cancer treatments than it is to provide early detection and prevention measures, the coalition said in a press release. C-Change argues that cancer prevention makes financial sense as direct expenses (health insurance premiums) and indirect costs (lost productivity) related to treating employees with cancer cost employers thousands of dollars every year.

The coalition is kicking off its campaign with a white paper that outlines the benefits of preventive care related to four types of cancer — breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, and cancers associated with tobacco use. The white paper provides data on cancer prevention and early detection, including potential cost savings to employers in the future by investing in these services today.

The “Making the Business Case” white paper, on behalf of C-Change, illustrates how:

  • Cancer costs burden businesses,
  • Offering prevention and early detection health insurance benefits reduces both the direct and indirect costs of cancer for employers, and
  • Employers can encourage their respective employees to receive cancer prevention and screening services.

For a copy of the white paper, or to receive more information, visit http://www.c_changeprojects.org/MakingTheBusinessCase .

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