DALLAS, May 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite projections that cancer will become the leading cause of death in the U.S. in the next 16 years, health plan members may not be getting valuable guidance from employers to complete preventive cancer screenings. In the April HealthMine Wellness Program Member Survey of 750 consumers, just 22% say that cancer screenings are included in their program. However, almost half (46%) of respondents are willing to complete a cancer screening without any financial incentive from their plan sponsor.
Today, cancer is the second leading cause of death for Americans, following heart disease. According to the American Cancer Society, the lifetime probability of developing cancer is 1 in 2 for men, with prostate cancer being the most common type. Women have a 1 in 3 probability of developing the disease, and breast cancer is the number one kind. Screenings can improve survival and decrease mortality by detecting cancer at an early stage when treatment is more effective. However, 37% of people don't know what cancer screenings they need to get and how often, according to the February HealthMine Health Plan Member Survey.
Yet, a minority of wellness programs include screenings for the most prevalent forms of cancer per the results below:
- 20% include prostate cancer screenings
- 25% include colon cancer screenings
- 26% include skin cancer screenings
- 33% include breast cancer screenings
Bryce Williams, CEO and President of HealthMine said, "The baseline for disease management and abating chronic conditions is clinical data. Wellness programs may be under-screening for cancer--one of the most deadly killers of Americans." He continued: "Americans are clearly motivated to identify their risk for this life-threatening disease. If wellness program sponsors do integrate systematic cancer screenings into their wellness programs they must make certain that plan members are aware of them. Early detection can save lives and reduce both emotional and financial suffering."
About the Survey
The HealthMine survey. The HealthMine Wellness Program Member Survey was fielded by Survey Sampling International (SSI) on April 1-12, 2015. Data were collected via an opt-in panel. The margin of error is 4%. Survey Sampling International (SSI) has been the Worldwide Leader in Survey Sampling and Data Collection Solutions, across every mode, for 37 Years.
About HealthMine
HealthMine, a leading consumer health engagement company, has developed the wellness industry's first and only Personal Clinical Engagement (PCE) technology platform. HealthMine PCE automatically connects comprehensive clinical data with tailored recommendations, resources and incentives to create a personalized health portal available on any mobile device. HealthMine has more than one million users today, and has saved employers and payers more than $100 million in healthcare costs. The company, founded in 2008, is based in Dallas, Texas with offices in San Francisco, New York and Minneapolis.
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SOURCE HealthMine, Inc.
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