U.S. Senator John Boozman urged members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on March 20 to support his bipartisan bill aimed at expanding access to prostate cancer screenings for high-risk men.
The issue is significant because prostate cancer remains a leading cause of death among men in the United States, with certain groups such as African American men and those with a family history facing higher risks. Boozman said that improving access to preventive screenings could save lives and reduce healthcare costs.
During his remarks, Boozman described how prostate cancer has affected many American families, including his own. He highlighted the PSA Screening for Him Act, which he introduced with Senator Cory Booker. The legislation would require private health insurance plans to cover preventive prostate cancer screenings without cost-sharing requirements for high-risk men. “Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for men in the U.S., with African American men as well as men with a family history being disproportionately affected,” Boozman said. He added that early detection through PSA testing can result in nearly 100 percent survival rates, but late-stage diagnosis drops survival rates significantly.
Boozman’s proposal has received backing from organizations such as the American Urological Association and the American Cancer Society. He emphasized that lowering financial barriers like co-pays and deductibles is essential: “Too many men still delay getting their PSA levels checked, so it is important we lower barriers to care for high-risk men, including financial barriers such as co-pays, deductibles and co-insurance.” Boozman also said that preventive medicine helps tackle chronic diseases and improves quality of life.
Boozman serves on several Senate committees including Appropriations; Environment and Public Works; Veterans’ Affairs; Rules and Administration; and Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry according to his official website. He grew up in Fort Smith, Arkansas; graduated from Northside High School; earned an optometry degree from Southern College of Optometry; co-founded a family-owned eye care business in Northwest Arkansas; advocates for farmers, ranchers, veterans’ care, economic growth policies; and raised three daughters with his wife Cathy according to the official website.
Looking ahead, Boozman said it is vital for policy to keep pace with advances in medical screening technology: “This bipartisan bill is not about democrats or republicans — this is about all of us helping our neighbors.”
