Nebraska Sen. Carol Blood proposed a bill stating that patients with insurance would not be subject to additional costs for medical services associated with a colonoscopy, such as a polyp removal, 6 News reported Jan. 17.
"If you look at the language for the ACA, the intent was that people would be able to get their colonoscopy, and if something was discovered, that it would also be removed during that procedure," Ms. Blood told 6 News. "But the language has a loophole in it. So what Nebraskans would find is that during a colonoscopy, if something was discovered, such as a polyp, and it was removed, that their insurance was not paying for it."
The goal of the bill is to "change provisions relating to insurance coverage for screening for colorectal cancer," according to billtrack50.com.
The Nebraska Insurance Federation told 6 News in a statement, "The health insurers of the Nebraska Insurance Federation support policy initiatives that keep policyholders healthy and reduce the cost of healthcare services overall, such as the provision of preventive screening services. Guidance from the United States Department of Health and Human Services already requires colorectal cancer screening without cost sharing. The Federation will work with Senator Blood to ensure that the colorectal cancer screening language in Legislative Bill 829 reflects the current, federal requirements."