BLOOMFIELD, Conn., Aug. 26, 2005 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 300,000 CIGNA HealthCare members across the country will receive an important message in the mail this month as the company works to prevent its members from being among the more than 50,000 Americans who die from colorectal cancer each year. Many of these deaths can be prevented with early detection and treatment. That is why CIGNA HealthCare will be sending reminders to its members to get one of the five colorectal cancer screenings that are recommended by the American Cancer Society.
In addition, CIGNA will also mail one of the actual diagnostic tests to approximately 40,000 CIGNA HealthCare of Florida HMO members who are over 50 years of age and have not had a colorectal cancer screening. With the assistance of Quest Diagnostics , the nation’s leading health testing laboratory, these members will receive an InSure(TM) Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) and are being encouraged to complete and submit this simple screening test for colorectal cancer and share the results with their physicians.
According to research, the new FIT is more likely to be completed than similar tests that consumers may have taken in the past.(1) It is 87% sensitive for detecting colorectal cancer(2) - and is one of the tests recommended by the American Cancer Society.
The American Cancer Society recommends colorectal cancer screening for all men and women 50 years old and older.(3) Yet, according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the national average rate for colorectal cancer screening among members of all health plans in this age group was only 47% in 2003. The NCQA began reporting colorectal cancer screening rates through HEDIS last year. CIGNA said that while its members aged 50 and over received colorectal cancer screenings at rates slightly higher than this national average, it is focusing on improving the rate of screening among members through the new program.
“Colorectal cancer is very preventable and detectable and there are very effective treatments available. There is clearly much more that can be done to improve the rates of screening, which can detect this cancer early, when it’s easiest to treat,” said Dr. Kirk Cianciolo, medical director for CIGNA HealthCare of Florida. “We hope that by sending reminders and one of the tests available to many Florida members, more members will take this important test and speak to their physicians about prevention of colorectal cancer.” Cianciolo said if the Florida pilot is successful, CIGNA would consider extending the program to other areas of the country.
Florida members receiving the test will also receive complete instructions that will include information about what to do if a member has specific symptoms of colorectal cancer such as a change in bowel habits, rectal bleeding or abdominal pain, which would require a complete evaluation by a physician. Members can also call a CIGNA clinician to ask questions by using a phone number that will be provided with the kit, or they can visit http://www.insuretest.com for additional information on the test. The confidential results from the test will be mailed to the members, who are strongly encouraged to share their results with their primary care physicians, whether positive or negative, so that an appropriate follow-up screening plan can be developed.
For more information on “Colorectal Cancer: Early Detection,” go to the American Cancer Society website at: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6X_Colorectal_Cancer_Early_Det ection_10.asp
(1) Cole SR, Sandford JJ, Cadd BA, et al. Interval fecal occult blood testing in a colonoscopy-based screening program. Paper presented at: Digestive Disease Week; 2001; Atlanta, GA.
(2) U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) submission data; 2000.
(3) ACS Guidelines. Smith RA et al. American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Early Detection of Cancer, 2005. Cancer J Clin 2005; 55:31-44.
CIGNA HealthCare, headquartered in Bloomfield, CT, provides medical benefits plans, dental coverage, behavioral health coverage, pharmacy benefits and products and services that integrate and analyze information to support consumerism and health advocacy. “CIGNA HealthCare” refers to various operating subsidiaries of CIGNA Corporation . Products and services are provided by these operating subsidiaries and not by CIGNA Corporation.
CIGNA HealthCare
CONTACT: Karen Godlewski of CIGNA HealthCare, +1-215-761-1470 orkaren.godlewski@cigna.com
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