Mass. Legislature works toward free cancer screenings for firefighters
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Support WBURKatie Castellani, State House News ServiceOctober 15, 2026The Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Ashburton Park outside of the State House. (Katie Castellani /SHNS)The Massachusetts Senate on Thursday passed legislation requiring insurance coverage so that firefighters can access free and regular cancer screenings. The Senate passed the legislation (S 3284) on a voice vote after it cleared the Senate Ways and Means Committee on a 17-0 vote. The Senate bill is similar to a version the House unanimously passed (H 5631) on July 31. The bill requires health insurance offered by a firefighter's public employer to cover a cancer screening every three years throughout their employment. The legislation applies to full-time, paid firefighters who are employed by the state, municipalities as well as fire and water districts and members of fire departments at some military bases. Screenings must cover colon, lung, bladder, oral, thyroid, skin, blood, breast, cervical, testicular and prostate cancers. Firefighter unions have pushed for the bill for years.
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