- Key insight: Learn how employer-provided cancer screening access reduces late-stage diagnoses across employee populations.
- Expert quote: Janet Acosta says the program "speaks to everyone," driving broad benefit engagement.
- Supporting data: 15% employee enrollment; 21% average screening adherence improvement across breast, cervical, colon, prostate cancers.
- Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review
Watching her company's cancer cost claims rise, Janet Acosta, benefit manager at Hot Topic, was in search of a point solution with
Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the U.S., and diagnoses of multiple types, such as cervical, colorectal, and breast, are on the rise for adults under the age of 55, according to the American Cancer Society. Cancer is now one of the leading drivers of employer healthcare spend, and can be a
To cut down on late-stage diagnosis, which carries a higher risk of death and
"It's hard to find programs that really speak to the general population," Acosta says. "There are always specific populations that [some benefits are] geared toward — specific diseases, specific mental conditions — and you need all of those programs. But I saw that this program would impact our entire population to some degree. It speaks to everyone, and everyone can partake in it."
Color offers at-home screening kits for prostate, cervical and colorectal cancer, and helps people schedule in-person screenings for breast, lung, cervical and colon cancer. When cancer is detected one stage earlier, it leads to a savings of more than $60,000 and a two to three times better chance of survival on average, according to the platform's data.
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Easier administration and communication
Once she decided Color would be a good fit for Hot Topic, the integration was easy from an administrative standpoint, with a quick launch turnaround and flexibility in billing setup, says Acosta. The platform was also proactive in getting employees registered for the program right away, offering ideas for increased engagement.
"A lot of [vendors] have a very stringent process on how they want to do business with the company, and that's really hard, because companies aren't one-size-fits-all," she says. "I'm really impressed with [Color], because what makes a successful program is having all of those components in any implementation rollout."
Since its adoption roughly seven months ago, 15% of Hot Topic's employees have enrolled, and the company has seen screening adherence improve by an average of 21% across breast, cervical, colon and prostate cancers.
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Acosta also appreciates Color's employee engagement approach, which can be tailored to employers' individual needs. It works alongside benefit leaders to put customized programs that generate awareness, consent and account activation in place, then works directly with employee participants to deliver results, provide support and further resources and schedule any necessary care.
"I see any company we work with as a reflection and extension of Hot Topic, so it's important that [communication] matters, because it will make a huge difference in how well the product, the message, or whatever it is that we're trying to do, is received by employees."
In addition to cancer screening, Color also provides genetic testing that can indicate people's hereditary risk for certain cancers and heart disease, as well as how their bodies may respond to certain medications. More than 600 employees have participated in risk assessments and received personalized plans for next steps.
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By improving an area of health and cost concern, removing complications on both the employer and employee side and delivering a high level of ongoing service, Color has become a benchmark for future vendors, Acosta says.
"I saw that there was an issue for us and [found] something I knew people would appreciate," she says. "It was an easy program to say yes to."
