Kentucky has one of the highest rates of colon cancer in the nation and colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the Commonwealth. Colon cancer screening can prevent cancer or find it early when the chance for a cure is good. The Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Program is a program for low income, uninsured Kentuckians in ten regions across the state. The program provides free colon cancer screening to Kentucky residents who meet certain eligibility requirements.
The Kentucky Department for Public Health is administering the program, which was developed with the assistance of the Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Advisory Committee. The department is working with ten local health departments who applied for and received funding to expand colon cancer screening services in their communities through June 2014. The Kentucky Cancer Program and the Kentucky Cancer Foundation are also providing support along with many community partners, such as local physicians, hospitals, health centers and clinics to reach eligible residents and provide the screening services.
Based on patient history, participants who are at average risk for colorectal cancer will be offered a take-home high sensitivity fecal immunochemical test (FIT). For those with an increased or high risk and/or those who have positive results from the FIT screening, colonoscopies will be provided. The colon cancer screening is free however there may be a cost for a person to visit a medical home provider to be cleared for the colonoscopy.
This program is for people without any insurance who meet the following eligibility requirements:
• Household income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level
• No insurance of any kind (no Medicaid, Medicare, or private insurance)
• Age 50 through 64; African Americans age 45 through 64. A person under age 50 may qualify if certain high risk conditions/factors exist.
• US citizen and a legal resident of Kentucky
• Lack of up-to-date screening
Services are available to eligible people through June 2014, as funding permits. The Barren River District Health Department, one of the participating health departments, recently expanded their program to include residents in Monroe County. For more information about the program, call the Monroe County Health Department at 270-487-6782 or the Kentucky Cancer Program at 1-877-326-1134 or www.kycancerprogram.org.