In 2020, the General Assembly first passed legislation establishing the Firefighter Cancer Healthcare Benefit Plan, which was one of the Municipal Association’s Advocacy Initiatives for that session. The plan created a supplemental insurance policy for both paid and unpaid firefighters who are South Carolina residents and who are diagnosed with cancer.
The plan was funded in the state’s FY 2021-2022 budget, and it received funding of $3.5 million in the FY 2022-2023 budget.
The plan funds treatment for a variety of cancers related to the nervous system, respiratory tract, or bone and blood-related cancers, among others. Firefighters diagnosed with any of the covered types of cancers are entitled to several benefits:
- A one-time lump-sum benefit of $20,000 for the initial diagnosis.
- Annual reimbursements of out-of-pocket expenses for the cancer treatment in amounts up to $12,000.
- A $75,000 death benefit paid to the beneficiary of a firefighter who dies as a result of the cancer.
The State Fire division of the SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation has details on the program, including the full list of cancer types covered and how to start a claim.