DELAWARE- Governor John Carney has signed legislation expanding prostate cancer screening access for high-risk men, positioning Delaware as the eighth state in the U.S. to remove screening costs for certain patients.
House Substitute 1 for House Bill 302 eliminates out-of-pocket expenses for men over 40 with specific risk factors, including African American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer.
The goal is to increase early detection, which experts say is key to improving survival rates.
Over 1,300 Delaware men are projected to receive a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2024.
The new law will apply to insurance policies starting in 2026.
“This law represents a major step forward in ensuring high-risk men have the option of lifesaving screenings without financial barriers,” said Lance Kilpatrick, Delaware Government Relations Director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.