Press Releases

Today, U.S. Representatives Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) and Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) introduced H.R. 5200, the Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening for High-risk Insured Men (PSA Screening for HIM) Act, which would waive deductibles, copayments, and coinsurances for prostate cancer screenings for men who have a family history of prostate cancer or who are African-American.

“I am pleased to introduce the PSA Screening for HIM Act, which would waive cost-sharing for prostate cancer screenings for African-American men or men who have a family history of the disease.  The removal of these financial barriers will help millions of at-risk men to diagnose this potentially deadly cancer early, which can often mean the difference between life and death,” said Rep. Rush.   

“Modern medicine is providing Americans the chance to live longer and healthier lives, including men diagnosed with prostate cancer. However, the key to successful treatment is early detection of the disease. The PSA Screening for HIM Act will help save lives by removing financial barriers that can prevent men who are most at risk – African-Americans and those with a first-degree family history of prostate cancer – from getting screened for prostate cancer and catching the disease in its early and treatable stage,” said Dr. Bucshon.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States, and African-American men are 70 percent more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer disease than white men. Additionally, men with a father or brother with metastatic prostate cancer are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than men without a family history.

According to the American Cancer Society, the survival rate for prostate cancer diagnosed in early stage is near 100 percent but prostate cancer diagnosed in late stage has only a 30 percent survival rate. 

The following U.S. Representatives also co-sponsored the PSA Screening for HIM Act:

Brian Babin (R-Texas)

Susan Brooks (R-Ind.)

André Carson (D-Ind.)

Judy Chu (D-Calif.)

Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.)

Neal Dunn (R-Fla.)

Peter King (R-N.Y.)

Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.)

Greg Murphy (R-N.C.)

Donald Payne Jr. (D-N.J.)

Phil Roe (R-Tenn.)

David Scott (D-Ga.)

Terri Sewell (D-Ala.)

Roger Williams (R-Texas)

The Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening for High-risk Insured Men Act is supported by ZERO - The End of Prostate Cancer.