The product, like the industry and the market, has changed to meet the evolving demands of consumers and the companies that employ them.

Wellness focus

Women are encouraged to get regular breast exams and to conduct self-exams between visits to the doctor. Men who have reached age 50 (younger for men with a family history) are told they need to be vigilant about seeing their doctor for prostate exams. Everyone is being told to quit smoking and to drink in moderation. Americans are told to cut back on their portions at the dinner table. The messages are everywhere, and they are simple. We need to take better care of ourselves—and employers' wellness plans encourage employees to do just that.

"Scientific evidence suggests that about one-third of the 559,650 cancer deaths [that were] expected to occur in 2007 [were] related to overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, and nutrition and thus could [have been] prevented," says the American Cancer Society's "Cancer Facts & Figures 2007."

A new focus on wellness is prevalent in cancer insurance policies offered in the workplace. The policies cover a range of screening exams.

"You don't have to get cancer to utilize the policy," says Monica Francis, assistant vice president, product area, for Colonial Supplemental Insurance ( www.coloniallife.com ) in Columbia, S.C. "This is offered as an enhancement to get annual checkups."

Carriers see the cost savings associated with policyholders avoiding cancer altogether or finding it early when treatment is simpler and less costly. Dennis Adams agrees with Francis' assessment about cancer insurance's wellness aspect.

"It's not just focused on treatment anymore," says Adams, senior vice president, Allstate Channel Sales for American Heritage Life Insurance Corp. ( www.ahlcorp.com ), Jacksonville, Fla. "We provide wellness benefits. The policies provide money for treatment and wellness to detect cancer early."

Fills in the gaps

Cancer insurance doesn't just pay for treatment if a policyholder is unlucky enough to contract cancer. Cancer insurance coverage is like disability coverage in that it will cover many of the costs associated with having the disease and getting treatment: pay the bills, cover deductibles, pay for special diets, make up for lost income and much more.

"When a person gets cancer, two-thirds of the costs are not covered by a health policy," says Greg Hatcher, CEO of Little Rock, Ark.-based The Hatcher Agency (www.hatcheragency.com). "Loss of income is the biggest expense, and that is not covered by a health plan. A cancer policy is a nice added benefit."

And while disability coverage applies to the injured or sick policyholder, cancer coverage goes beyond that. A policyholder whose spouse or child needs cancer treatment can get reimbursement for lost time at work and for travel to and from treatment sites.

"People can worry about getting treatment," Adams says, "not the bills."

Francis calls cancer insurance an enhancement, not a replacement for major medical.

"It's designed to plug holes. It gives the extra funds needed to keep a family out of debt." It can cost an employer little or nothing to offer cancer insurance. Employees who understand the benefit typically buy coverage at rates that are as strong as those for other products.

Future treatment

Some forms of cancer, now and in the not-too-distant future, will be treated as chronic illnesses. The procedure for certain cancers in certain cases won't always call for curing the cancer.

"This is another reason why a cancer policy is so critical," Francis says. "For many people, they're not going to be able to cure it and move on."

In these cases, cancer policies will be more than gap fillers for a year or two of cancer treatment. They will serve policyholders for much longer than that in the cases where it is determined that a long-term course of action is necessary for a chronic cancer condition.

Cancer's prevalence in the lives of Americans isn't going away anytime soon. More than 1 million new cases will be diagnosed each year, and more than 500,000 people will die of cancer's various forms every 12 months. Cancer insurance policies are changing to meet the demands of those diagnosed with the disease, helping patients focus on treatment without worrying about bills.