Bill Text: WV SR51 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

West Virginia Senate Resolution 51 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Designating month of February as National Cancer Prevention Month at Legislature

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2022-03-09 - Completed legislative action [SR51 Detail]

Download: West_Virginia-2022-SR51-Introduced.html

SENATE RESOLUTION 51

(By Senators Stollings and Takubo)

[Introduced March 8, 2022]

Designating the month of February as National Cancer Prevention Month at the Legislature.

Whereas, The month of February is National Cancer Prevention Month; and

Whereas, Detecting cancer early, before it has spread throughout the body saves lives; and

Whereas, Cancers detected when still localized can be treated more effectively and have a five-year cancer specific survival of approximately 90 percent compared with approximately 20 percent for cancers found after metastasis has occurred; and

Whereas, Diagnosing and treating cancer earlier often results in less invasive treatments for patients, which are also less expensive; and

Whereas, The benefits of early cancer detection to Medicare beneficiaries in West Virginia has been limited to five cancers; and

Whereas, It is estimated that 4,580 West Virginia residents will have died of cancer in 2021, and that six of the top 10 causes of cancer deaths in West Virginia have no recommended screening test; and

Whereas, Age is the leading risk factor for cancer, placing Medicare beneficiaries in West Virginia at elevated risk. Americans who are 65 years of age and older are more than seven times as likely as Americans who are under 65 years of age to be diagnosed with cancer; and

Whereas, Several innovative private and academic efforts are engaged in research, including advanced clinical trials to develop multi-cancer early detection blood-based tests; and Whereas, Published data indicates that these tests can screen for many cancers at the same time, including rare cancers, with one example currently able to screen for more than 50 cancers; and

Whereas, Multi-cancer early detection tests can complement the covered early detection tests enacted by Congress, West Virginia, and extend the benefits of early detection to more cancers and more Americans; and

Whereas, West Virginia Congressional representatives Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Congressman David McKinley, Congressman Alex Mooney, and Congresswoman Carol Miller have joined a bipartisan list of over 180 members of Congress, 300 stakeholder organizations representing all 50 states; including many of the most respected cancer advocacy organizations in the country and West Virginia, in supporting the Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate:

That the Senate commends the bipartisan leadership and memorialize the United States Congress to enact [S. 1873 / H.R. 1946], the Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act, or similar legislation to establish Medicare coverage for multi-cancer early detection tests, and to continue working across party lines to reduce cancer deaths in West Virginia; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, Governor James C. Justice, and each member of the West Virginia Congressional Delegation.