[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 121 (Friday, July 14, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H3600-H3601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               PREVENTATIVE CANCER SCREENINGS SAVE LIVES

  (Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the importance of 
preventive cancer care, especially colorectal cancer.
  Colorectal cancer is one of the deadliest cancers, but it has one of 
the highest survival rates if detected and treated early. Too many 
Americans put off routine screenings and colonoscopies because they 
worry about coverage.
  Now, UnitedHealthcare has made the disastrous decision to require 
patients to get prior authorization before they get colonoscopies. 
Their new policy comes at a time when colorectal cancer rates are 
rising nationwide, particularly in young Americans.
  This policy encourages more Americans not to get screenings and 
colonoscopies, and it will cause curable cancer issues to become life-
threatening ones.
  I lost my father, Congressman   Donald Payne, Sr., to colorectal 
cancer in 2012. I do not want other families to lose their fathers and 
loved ones from a lack of preventive cancer care.

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