Cover Your Butt

The naked truth

• Colorectal cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer death in the US.
• It can be stopped in its tracks with a simple screening procedure.

Every butt over the age of 50 should be screened for colorectal cancer.

Even earlier if you have risk factors for colorectal cancer, like family history or race.

Despite this, most butts don’t get screened.

Why? Two big reasons:

1. There’s an ick factor involved with colorectal cancer screenings (to which we say: get over it. This is your life we’re talking about.)
2. Cost. Colorectal cancer screening costs range from $1400 to $3000 and most butts do not have guaranteed health insurance coverage for them.

But when butts ARE covered, they do get screened.

Nine years ago, Medicare began covering the butts of US Seniors over the age of 65. When they did, colorectal cancer screening rates increased 700%.

So how do you get your butt covered?

• It’s simple. You get in touch with your Members of Congress and say, “Cover My Butt!” You can take action here.
• There are currently three bills that have been introduced in Congress that would cover almost every butt in the US. Read about them here.

Think your butt is covered? Don’t be too sure.

Find out if your butt is covered here. But even if it is, your covered butt is not a guarantee. If you change jobs, lose your health insurance or even if your health insurance company changes its policies, your butt may be left out in the cold. Only Congress can guarantee your butt gets covered.

Don’t stop there. Help us cover every butt in America.

For more information about prevention and screening of colorectal cancer, visit this page on the C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition website.