An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, establishing the Firefighter Cancer Screening Program and the Firefighter Cancer Screening Fund; and, in special funds, further providing for disposition of Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund.

PRINTER'S NO. 1845
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1398
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY BARTOLOTTA, PICOZZI, MASTRIANO, HAYWOOD, KANE,
PENNYCUICK, BROOKS, YAW AND FARRY, JUNE 25, 2026
REFERRED TO BANKING AND INSURANCE, JUNE 25, 2026
AN ACT
Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), entitled
"An act relating to the finances of the State government;
providing for cancer control, prevention and research, for
ambulatory surgical center data collection, for the Joint
Underwriting Association, for entertainment business
financial management firms, for private dam financial
assurance and for reinstatement of item vetoes; providing for
the settlement, assessment, collection, and lien of taxes,
bonus, and all other accounts due the Commonwealth, the
collection and recovery of fees and other money or property
due or belonging to the Commonwealth, or any agency thereof,
including escheated property and the proceeds of its sale,
the custody and disbursement or other disposition of funds
and securities belonging to or in the possession of the
Commonwealth, and the settlement of claims against the
Commonwealth, the resettlement of accounts and appeals to the
courts, refunds of moneys erroneously paid to the
Commonwealth, auditing the accounts of the Commonwealth and
all agencies thereof, of all public officers collecting
moneys payable to the Commonwealth, or any agency thereof,
and all receipts of appropriations from the Commonwealth,
authorizing the Commonwealth to issue tax anticipation notes
to defray current expenses, implementing the provisions of
section 7(a) of Article VIII of the Constitution of
Pennsylvania authorizing and restricting the incurring of
certain debt and imposing penalties; affecting every
department, board, commission, and officer of the State
government, every political subdivision of the State, and
certain officers of such subdivisions, every person,
association, and corporation required to pay, assess, or
collect taxes, or to make returns or reports under the laws
imposing taxes for State purposes, or to pay license fees or
other moneys to the Commonwealth, or any agency thereof,
every State depository and every debtor or creditor of the
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
Commonwealth," establishing the Firefighter Cancer Screening
Program and the Firefighter Cancer Screening Fund; and, in
special funds, further providing for disposition of Budget
Stabilization Reserve Fund.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known
as The Fiscal Code, is amended by adding an article to read:
ARTICLE I-M
FIREFIGHTER CANCER SCREENING PROGRAM
Section 101-M. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Airport fire company." A fire company that does all of the
following:
(1) Is associated with an airport.
(2) Has a mutual aid agreement with a neighboring
municipality.
(3) Has responded to at least 15 fire or rescue
emergency calls annually to neighboring fire companies as
provided in documentation requested by the commissioner.
"Benefits card." A card issued by the department to an
eligible firefighter who is a resident of this Commonwealth.
"Cancer screening examination." A medically necessary and
clinically appropriate examination of the body using either
standard or abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging or, if the
imaging is not possible, ultrasound if recommended by the
treating physician to screen for cancer when there is no
abnormality seen or suspected.
"Commissioner." The State Fire Commissioner of the
Commonwealth.
20260SB1398PN1845 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
"Department." The Insurance Department of the Commonwealth.
"Eligible firefighter." A firefighter that is eligible under
section 106-M.
"Fire company." A volunteer fire company, a municipal fire
company or a combined volunteer and municipal fire company
located in this Commonwealth. The term includes an airport fire
company.
"Fund." The Firefighter Cancer Screening Fund established
under section 104-M.
"Health insurance policy." A policy, subscriber contract,
certificate or plan issued by a health insurer on or after the
effective date of this definition that provides medical or
health care coverage. The term does not include any of the
following:
(1) An accident only policy.
(2) A credit only policy.
(3) A long-term care policy.
(4) A disability income policy.
(5) A specified disease policy.
(6) A Medicare Supplement policy.
(7) A fixed indemnity policy.
(8) A dental only policy.
(9) A vision only policy.
(10) A workers' compensation policy.
(11) An automobile medical payment policy.
(12) A policy under which benefits are provided by the
Federal Government to active or former military personnel and
their dependents.
(13) A hospital indemnity policy.
(14) Any other policy providing for limited benefits.
20260SB1398PN1845 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
"Health insurer." An entity that offers, issues or renews a
health insurance policy that provides medical or health care
coverage by a health care facility or licensed health care
provider and that is governed under any of the following:
(1) The act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as
The Insurance Company Law of 1921, including section 630 and
Article XXIV of that act.
(2) The act of December 29, 1972 (P.L.1701, No.364),
known as the Health Maintenance Organization Act.
(3) 40 Pa.C.S. Ch. 61 (relating to hospital plan
corporations).
(4) 40 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (relating to professional health
services plan corporations).
"Licensed practitioner." A medical doctor, certified nurse
practitioner or physician assistant licensed to practice in this
Commonwealth whose scope of practice includes evaluation,
assessment and diagnostic privileges as outlined by the scope of
practice of the profession.
"Municipality." A county, city, borough, incorporated town,
township or home rule municipality.
"Office." The Office of the State Fire Commissioner of the
Commonwealth.
"Program." The Firefighter Cancer Screening Program
established under section 102-M.
Section 102-M. Firefighter Cancer Screening Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Firefighter Cancer Screening Program
is established in the department. The department shall establish
guidelines and procedures necessary for the implementation and
administration of the program.
(b) Purpose.--The program shall pay for out-of-pocket costs
20260SB1398PN1845 - 4 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
associated with annual cancer screening examinations for
firefighters that are not otherwise covered by the eligible
firefighter's health insurance policy.
Section 103-M. Duties of department.
The department shall administer the program and cooperate
with the office as necessary to effectuate program goals,
including data sharing, outreach and certification of eligible
firefighters.
Section 104-M. Firefighter Cancer Screening Fund.
(a) Establishment.--
(1) The Firefighter Cancer Screening Fund is established
as a separate fund in the State Treasury.
(2) The fund shall consist of money appropriated or
transferred to the fund by the General Assembly, in addition
to any grants, gifts, donations or other payments from other
sources.
(b) Continuing appropriation.--Money in the fund is
appropriated on a continuing basis to the department for the
uses provided under subsection (c).
(c) Use.--Money in the fund shall be used for:
(1) Costs incurred for cancer screening examinations
undertaken by eligible firefighters that are not otherwise
covered by the eligible firefighter's health insurance
policy.
(2) Administering the provisions of this article.
Section 105-M. Benefits card.
(a) Benefits card.--The department shall develop a benefits
card that eligible firefighters can use to pay for out-of-pocket
costs associated with cancer screenings under the program. A
benefits card may only be offered to an eligible firefighter.
20260SB1398PN1845 - 5 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
(b) Application.--The department shall develop an
application form that an eligible firefighter may use to apply
for a benefits card under the program.
(c) Notice.--By January 1 of each year, the department shall
provide application forms and written instructions for the use
of benefits cards to:
(1) The fire chief and president of each volunteer fire
company.
(2) The chief executive of each municipality in which a
municipal fire company is located.
(3) The head of each combined volunteer and municipal
fire company and each airport fire company.
(d) Posting.--The application forms and written instructions
for the benefits card shall be posted on the publicly accessible
Internet websites of the department and office.
(e) Oversight and tracking.--The department shall develop
electronic controls, oversight mechanisms and follow-up
procedures to detect and track the following:
(1) Suspicious benefits card transactions that might
indicate fraudulent use. In order to implement this
paragraph, the department shall have the following duties:
(i) Collect information regarding the use of
benefits cards if more than 50% of the funds used in the
benefits card transactions occur outside of this
Commonwealth.
(ii) Differentiate between benefits card
transactions that occur in states that border this
Commonwealth and benefits card transactions that occur in
states that do not border this Commonwealth.
(iii) Analyze benefits card transactions that occur
20260SB1398PN1845 - 6 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
outside of this Commonwealth to determine if the
recipient of benefits is a resident of this Commonwealth.
In making a determination under this subparagraph, the
department shall analyze the following:
(A) The location of employment of the recipient
of benefits.
(B) The amount of times that the benefits card
is used outside of this Commonwealth compared to the
amount of times the benefits card is used in this
Commonwealth.
(C) Whether the benefits card transactions occur
in person or through electronic means.
(2) The use of benefits cards that might indicate an
attempt to acquire goods and services that do not comply with
this article.
(f) Data and information.--Unless otherwise prohibited, data
and information gathered under this section shall be made
available to the Inspector General, Auditor General and Attorney
General.
Section 106-M. Firefighter eligibility.
To be considered an eligible firefighter, a firefighter must
be a career firefighter or volunteer firefighter who actively
responded to at least 15 fire or rescue emergencies as
determined by the firefighter's fire company during the previous
calendar year.
Section 107-M. Cancer screening.
(a) Eligibility.--An eligible firefighter shall have access
to the use of a benefits card to cover the out-of-pocket costs
associated with a cancer screening examination required under
this section.
20260SB1398PN1845 - 7 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
(b) Screening requirement.--An eligible firefighter shall
undergo a cancer screening examination within the first three
years of becoming eligible under this article and at least once
every three years thereafter.
(c) Examination.--Each cancer screening examination shall:
(1) Be administered by a licensed practitioner.
(2) Include a multicancer early detection test.
(3) Include screening for, if applicable, the following
cancers:
(i) Bladder.
(ii) Blood.
(iii) Breast.
(iv) Colon.
(v) Cervical.
(vi) Esophageal.
(vii) Gallbladder.
(viii) Kidney.
(ix) Liver.
(x) Lung.
(xi) Lymphatic system.
(xii) Oral.
(xiii) Ovarian.
(xiv) Prostate.
(xv) Skin.
(xvi) Testicular.
(xvii) Thyroid.
(xviii) Urinary.
Section 108-M. Confidentiality.
The health records of a firefighter which are associated with
the cancer screening examinations under this article shall
20260SB1398PN1845 - 8 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
remain private and may not be shared with the fire company of
the firefighter or any other person except with the written
consent of the firefighter or as required under a governing
collective bargaining agreement.
Section 2. Section 1703-A(a) introductory paragraph and (b)
of the act are amended and the section is amended by adding a
subsection to read:
Section 1703-A. Disposition of Budget Stabilization Reserve
Fund.
(a) Purpose.--[It] Except as otherwise provided in
subsection (d), it is the intent of the General Assembly that:
* * *
(b) Appropriation.--Except as provided under [subsection
(c)] subsections (c) and (d), whenever the Governor determines
that an appropriation from the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund
is necessary to meet emergencies involving the health, safety or
welfare of the residents of this Commonwealth or to
counterbalance downturns of the economy which result in
significant unanticipated revenue shortfalls, the Governor shall
present a request for an appropriation which may include the
specifics of the proposal and suggested ancillary and
substantive legislation as may be necessary to the chairman of
Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the chairman of the
Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives. The
General Assembly may then through approval of a separate
appropriation bill by a vote of two-thirds of the members
elected to the Senate and the House of Representatives
appropriate money from the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund to
meet the needs identified in the Governor's proposal. Any money
appropriated according to this section which has then lapsed
20260SB1398PN1845 - 9 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
shall be returned to the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund.
* * *
(d) Transfers for Firefighter Cancer Screening Program.--No
later than January 1, 2027, $50,000,000 shall be transferred
from the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund to the Firefighter
Cancer Screening Fund as a one-time supplemental transfer for
the purpose of funding the Firefighter Cancer Screening Program.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20260SB1398PN1845 - 10 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8