UnitedHealth Covers Crucial Blood Test for Colorectal Cancer Screening

A recent development in Pennsylvania's healthcare landscape is giving cancer patients and their families hope. UnitedHealth Group, the nation's largest health insurer, has added Guardant Health's Shield blood test to its list of covered services for colorectal cancer screening.

This move follows Medicare's lead, which already covers the test for nearly 3 million Pennsylvanians. The test is crucial in catching colorectal cancer early, as it has a five-year survival rate of 91 percent when detected early compared to a sharply lower rate when diagnosed late.

Colorectal cancer claimed the life of one father in 2011 and is estimated to take roughly 2,240 neighbors this year. The author of the letter to the editor, who is currently undergoing treatment for cancer, highlights the importance of timely detection and coverage of such tests by health insurers.