If there was ever a time to recognize the necessity of expanding access to meaningful health coverage, it’s now.

I was surprised by a CDC study I saw this week that found that in 2012 nearly 28 percent of U.S. adults had not received recommended colorectal cancer screenings. This is a scary statistic considering colon cancer is an easily preventable disease through the removal of precancerous polyps, which are detectable only through routine screening.

For the first time, breast cancer patients and their families also have the security of knowing they no longer have to worry about whether they will be able to get the care they need. Why? Because this Breast Cancer Awareness Month coincides with the opening of state health insurance marketplaces created by the health care law.

The phrase Š—“an ounce of prevention saves lives and moneyŠ— means a lot to me and my family. My wife and I are diligent about talking with our doctors and ensuring we are getting the necessary cancer screenings. All Americans deserve access to these lifesaving tests and other cancer prevention measures, but a public health fund designed to do just that is in jeopardy.