July 28, 2022

Thyroid Cancer Now Covered By The Colorado Firefighter Heart and Cancer Benefits Trust

For Immediate Release 23 August, 2022 08:15:05
Program addition is a win-win for firefighters and employers addressing cancer risk in the fire service

DENVER – August 23, 2022 – The Colorado Firefighter Heart and Cancer Benefits (CFHC) Trust Committee has voted to add thyroid cancer coverage for all firefighters beginning July 1, 2022.

The vote reversed a decision in 2020 by the CHFC to deny coverage for thyroid cancer due to a lack of scientifically creditable data, the CHFC said at the time. The organization decided to add coverage after three thyroid cancer claims were filed in three years (up from one every 10 years historically).

With recent studies showing both male and female firefighters at a higher risk for thyroid cancer, likely due to poor sleep and working with endocrine disrupting chemicals, the Trust surveyed its members. There were 44 out of 46 responses supporting the addition of thyroid cancer coverage, representing 55% of participating members. Support came from a wide range of fire department sizes, including departments with five or fewer firefighters to large departments with over 100 firefighters. The responses represent approximately 1,724 eligible firefighters out of the 3,446 firefighters in the CFHC Trust’s Cancer Program.

“The addition of thyroid cancer to our program is certainly another major step forward in helping our firefighters beat the cancers that disproportionately impacts their health as members of the fire service,” said Mike Frainier, president of the Colorado Professional Firefighters and Chair of the CFHC Trust Committee.

The Trust Committee consists of four fire chiefs, one representative from the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters, two HR professionals, one risk manager, and one public official. The CFHC Trust allows participating fire organizations to opt out of the presumption of cancer for workers’ compensation. To date the Trust has approved roughly 95% of claims covering the brain, digestive, genitourinary, hematological, and skin cancers.

About the CHFC Trust

The CFHC Trust was created to aid the state’s fire professionals and agencies contain the human and financial burdens created by serious health issues by providing mandated cardiac and voluntary cancer benefits to Colorado firefighters. The Trust program was designed with input from the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters, Colorado State Fire Chiefs, the state Division of Insurance, and municipal, county, and special district fire agencies.

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Thyroid Cancer Now Covered by the Colorado Firefighter Heart and Cancer Benefits Trust The names of companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information, press only:

Alex Terlecky

aterlecky@mcgriff.com

Cfhtrust.com