Governor Bill Lee has signed into law a bill that makes Tennessee the sixth state in the U.S. to enhance coverage of prostate cancer screenings for high-risk men. The bill (HB 2954/SB2883), “As introduced, enacts the “Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening for High-risk Insured Men Act,” which requires health insurance coverage for the early detection of prostate cancer for men who meet certain risk criteria or age thresholds.”
According to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Tennessee’s “PSA Screening For HIM” bill eliminates costs for certain patients to get these lifesaving screenings, thus reducing barriers and increasing access to care for men over 40 with certain risk factors.
It’s estimated more than 6,000 Tennesseans will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2024.
The law goes into effect July 1, 2024.