Public firefighters would receive recurring cancer screenings through employer coverage

Public employers would provide eligible firefighters with cancer screening examinations conducted by a physician. Coverage would apply to full-time paid state and local firefighters, including those serving the Massachusetts Port Authority, Massachusetts Military Reservation, 104th Fighter Wing, and Devens. Examinations would screen for multiple cancers, including lung, skin, and blood cancers, when applicable. The first examination would occur no earlier than three years after firefighting employment begins, with examinations every three years thereafter during employment.

Employer-provided health plans would pay for the required cancer screenings. The payment rules would cover eligible firefighters receiving the required screenings through their employer’s health benefits plan or program. Plans would require patient payments if banning them would cause the plan to lose its tax-exempt status under federal tax law. The medical service agreement requirement excludes certificates that supplement Medicare or other government programs.