Specialist life insurance business MLC Life Insurance (MLC) has teamed up with profit-to-member superfund TelstraSuper to pilot a new awareness program encouraging TelstraSuper members to check their eligibility for early cancer screening tests.
In 2020 alone, Cancer Australia, a national government agency that aims to reduce the impact of cancer, found 163,595 fewer diagnostic procedures (such as scans or biopsies) carried out for 14 common cancers, such as breast, kidney, ovarian, and cervical cancer. Meanwhile, MLC recently found that only half of Australians eligible for free cancer screening tests – such as breast cancer, bowel cancer, and cervical cancer – take up the opportunity to undergo these tests.
MLC has partnered with TelstraSuper to provide free cancer screening tests to TelstraSuper members through “Aware” by CancerAid, an evidence-based behavioural change program that partners with insurers, such as MLC, to improve clinical outcomes.
The program asks a series of health questions created by CancerAid doctors, coaches, and researchers to help people understand which lifestyle habits increase cancer risk. It also provides recommendations to change health behaviour if required. Based on their answers, members may be offered a free information session with a general practitioner (GP), as well as advice and government resources on reducing cancer risk through activities such as exercise, diet changes, smoking cessation programs, and skin checks.
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The program is offered in conjunction with access to the CancerAid App, which organises medical records and streamlines information on appointments, treatments, and specialists. It also gives patients and caregivers medically reliable information about their illness and treatment plan, a symptom monitoring tool, and access to a supportive community of patients and carers.
TelstraSuper CEO Chris Davies commented that the partnership aims to help TelstraSuper members to understand how to reduce their cancer risk and check their eligibility for free screening services.
“The ongoing coronavirus restrictions have caused many of us to put off taking screening tests for some of the most common cancers. Tragically, this will likely lead to many cancer diagnoses being missed early, impacting the potential for a successful health outcome,” Davies said. “We hope that this program helps save lives, and [we] are pleased to be partnering with MLC Life Insurance and CancerAid to increase the number of our members accessing screenings, which is one of the most effective ways to detect the early signs of cancer.”
Meanwhile, MLC chief claims officer Andrew Beevors emphasised that the life insurer sees the impact of cancer in the claims it pays to members and their families. Therefore, early detection and intervention are key to better health outcomes.
“We know the enormous emotional and physical toll a cancer diagnosis can have, which is why we invest in programs that support people with cancer, such as CancerAid,” Beevors continued.
