FACT SHEET: As Part of the Inaugural National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month, the Biden Cancer Moonshot Announces Commitments from Employers and Labor Unions to Make Cancer Screenings More Accessible for American Workers
Today, the Biden Cancer Moonshot is joined by leading employers and labor organizations to announce new actions aimed at improving equitable access and utilization of cancer screenings to save and extend the lives of more Americans.
Last month, the Biden Cancer Moonshot convened a diverse and influential set of employers—representing more than 6.5 million American workers—to advance knowledge-sharing and best practices to make cancer screenings more accessible for their employees. Nearly 2 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer each year, with breast, lung, and colorectal cancers accounting for more than half of cancer deaths in the United States. Recommended screenings, even in the absence of notable symptoms, can detect these cancers early, increasing the likelihood of successful treatment and improved patient outcomes. Early diagnosis can also reduce the cost of employee health care and cancer treatment.
Improving early detection is critical to ending cancer as we know it, a priority of President Biden’s Unity Agenda – a call for solving big challenges that unite all Americans. Earlier cancer diagnosis, including through increased public awareness and access to cancer screenings, can improve health outcomes and reduce the cost of cancer care by billions of dollars each year.
The Biden Cancer Moonshot is announcing the following actions to advance access to cancer prevention and early detection for American workers:
United Airlines expands employee programs for cancer prevention, early detection, and quality care. As part of a dedicated push to remove barriers to access, wellness, and health care, United Airlines will expand a free skin cancer screening platform to all U.S. employees, and hold on-site screening events at seven hubs, increasing access for thousands of United team members. United will couple this expansion with educational campaigns about cancer risk factors to increase awareness and utilization of company cancer resources.
Target improves equitable access to cancer screenings through benefits offerings, like employee incentives to earn up to $500 annually by receiving recommended preventive care. Target’s medical plans include free care coordinators and second opinion services, and Target has lowered minimum average hours requirements to enroll in a medical plan from 30 to 25 hours per week, and has reduced waiting periods for new team members to become eligible for benefits.
Genentech will pilot a women’s health screening day this fall, including financial incentives, to provide employees with convenient access to preventive care and a holistic picture of their physical health. A mobile mammogram clinic will offer breast cancer screenings, and Genentech’s Campus Health Center providers will perform biometric and cervical cancer screenings and wellness exams, with colon cancer stool-based test kits available. Employees can earn up to $325 for completing these important steps in their preventive care.
Amazon will expand cancer screening by lowering access barriers. Amazon will expand a mobile mammography pilot in several medically underserved areas to lower barriers to screening. Additionally, Amazon will offer free, direct access to at-home colorectal cancer screening for members of their national health plans.
The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) will scale screening activities for former construction workers employed in the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) nuclear weapons facilities. Using a national network of medical providers located near where workers live, CPWR will increase educational efforts to ensure that all workers know what screening services are available to them and how to access these services. CPWR estimates that mortality has been reduced by 50% for workers who participate in the screenings compared to those who do not.
Gilead will increase employee cancer screening rates through personalized outreach. Using an existing health care navigation solution, advocates will engage employees who are eligible for cancer screenings proactively. In addition, Gilead will leverage internal oncology experts to identify leading-edge risk assessment and detection solutions to help employees identify actionable genetic variations and improve risk-based cancer early detection.
Lyft will launch a company-wide primary care, screening, and prevention campaign. Lyft’s health promotion campaign will focus on the importance of regular primary care visits and Lyft’s preventative screening coverage for employees, as well as encourage employees to use their monthly Lyft credits to visit their primary care provider or attend a screening appointment. Lyft employee credits help ease the burden of accessing transportation, which is often cited as a barrier to obtaining health care.
Hasbro removes access barriers to cancer care. Hasbro will remove cost barriers and provide a comprehensive suite of benefits to their employees, including free employee medical plans with concierge service; accessible cancer screening, results management, and navigation; and blood test screening for more than 50 cancers.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) and Color Health (Color) will provide free at-home screening, starting with colorectal cancer, with plans to expand to other at-home screening. Beginning in June 2024, ACS and Color will leverage partnerships with last-mile health organizations including Federally Qualified Health Centers and community health clinics to make at home-screening for colorectal cancer freely available, especially for people who are under- and uninsured. Individuals utilizing the at-home screening will also have access to diagnostic follow-up support through Color and ACS’s National Cancer Information Center for cancer screening information. The organizations will jointly share and disseminate initial findings from the new initiative in early 2025.
The Laborers’ Health & Safety Fund of North America (LHSFNA) will boost support for cancer prevention activities among the more than 500,000 Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) members and their families. The LHSFNA coordinates health screenings for Laborers and their family members at health fairs, and for over 20 years, the LHSFNA has run its annual Sun Sense campaign to raise awareness about skin cancer. The LHSFNA will scale social media efforts, and work with LIUNA health and welfare fund administrators to coordinate and produce direct member messaging to promote recommended preventive health care screenings and keep LIUNA membership engaged and informed.
Accolade is committed to offering its employees enhanced benefits aimed at improving cancer outcomes Accolade will offer benefits so that employees make use of all cancer screenings (United States Preventive Services Taskforce recommended and risk-based), virtual primary care visits, and expert second opinions, as well as access to specialized clinical partners to help Accolade employees and members get the care they need.
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