In April 2021, Rhode Island governor Dan McKee signed into law the “Maryellen Goodwin Colorectal Cancer Screening Act.” This legislation will help increase access to colorectal cancer screening by removing out-of-pocket costs for patients needing a colonoscopy following an abnormal noninvasive screening test. Maryellen Goodwin is a long-time member of the Rhode Island State Legislature and champion for access to healthcare. She passed away from colorectal cancer in April 2023.  

Rhode Island Colorectal Cancer Screening Coverage

Rhode Island state law requires every insurance policy issued in the state to provide coverage for colorectal cancer screening for any asymptomatic person 45 years of age or older. This includes all colorectal cancer examinations and laboratory tests for average risk individuals in accordance with American Cancer Society guidelines, including an initial colonoscopy or other non-invasive screening test and a follow-up colonoscopy if a patient receives an abnormal result on a non-invasive screening test.