Carroll-Backed Law to Provide Health Coverage for Skin Cancer Screenings Now In Effect

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Under a new law supported by state Rep. Jonathan Carroll, D-Northbrook, health and accident insurance policies are required to cover annual medical screenings for signs of skin cancer.

“One of the key elements to successfully treating skin cancer is early detection,” Carroll said. “When skin cancer goes unexamined, it can spread beyond the point where medical intervention is possible. However, regular screenings keep people safe and healthy. No one should ever have to skip a potentially life-saving medical procedure because they can’t afford it.”

Carroll backed House Bill 3113, which requires all medical and accident insurance to cover 100% of the costs of yearly screenings for skin cancer, even if they are not part of a routine dermatology inspection. The American Cancer Society estimated that, in 2019, around 3700 people in Illinois were diagnosed. Many of these patients will experience a strong recovery as a result of early detection.

“We can make skin cancer fatalities a thing of the past in Illinois if we ensure everyone has access to affordable treatment,” Carroll said. “I will keep working to make sure money never comes between a patient and the care they need to stay healthy.”