A big ‘thanks’ to McGaha

Commonwealth Journal

April 25, 2008 06:19 am

— Dear Editor:
I am writing to publicly thank Sen. Vernie McGaha for sponsoring Senate Bill 96 and Rep. Kenneth Upchurch for supporting Senate Rill 96 and House Bill 162, respectively, which requires insurance companies to provide a health benefit for colon cancer testing.
Gov. Steve Beshear signed these bills into law on April 15.
Colon cancer is the second most common cause for cancer death in Kentucky, killing nearly 840 people a year. However, it is also one of the most preventable cancers if diagnosed early. When detected early, the survival rate for colon cancer is around 90 percent. The later colon cancer is detected, the lower the survival rate.
Early detection could prevent most colon cancer deaths, but many people are not being tested. For some people, they simply cannot afford to be tested because they are uninsured or underinsured.
Requiring insurance companies to provide for colon cancer testing will go a long way in helping reduce the impact of colon cancer in our state.
Thanks again to Sen. Vernie McGaha and Rep. Kenneth Upchurch for their leadership on this issue. Saving lives isn’t a political issue, it’s a public health issue.

Nancy Melton
Somerset, Ky.