On June 27, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of upholding the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s authority to determine which preventive services must be covered with no cost sharing under the Affordable Care Act, protecting decades of progress in colorectal cancer screening, the American College of Gastroenterology said in a June 27 news release.
Here are five more things to know:
1. In its amicus brief to the Court, ACG argued that eliminating cost-sharing for colorectal screening through the ACA has saved countless lives. The brief cited research showing that removing this mandate could increase cancer incidence and mortality, raise treatment costs and worsen health disparities.
2. According to the release, more than 40% of individuals enrolled in ACA marketplace plans fall within the age group recommended for colorectal cancer screening.
3. The ruling comes at a pivotal time: while overall colorectal cancer incidence has dropped by nearly 50%, a trend largely credited to increased screening, early-onset colorectal cancer is on the rise.
4. By 2030, it is projected to be the leading cause of cancer death among people aged 20 to 49.
5. According to the release, ACG is urging HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr., to uphold the independence and expertise of the USPSTF, which has issued gold-standard preventive care recommendations since 1984.
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