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Bill to go into effect July 1, 2006
EPHRATA, Pa. – Governor Edward G. Rendell signed legislation creating the Pennsylvania Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Screening Act, making free mammograms available to eligible uninsured and underinsured women 40 to 49. His signature comes just days after the legislature voted unanimously to pass the bill. The Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition worked with bill sponsor, Representative George Kenney, Health & Human Services Committee Chairman, on this legislation to coincide with the National Institutes of Health recommendations that annual mammograms begin at age 40.
“Enormous progress has been made in diagnosing breast cancer,” said Governor Rendell, “but we still need to do more to fight this disease. It’s our hope, that with this legislation in place, we will diagnose more women early and save more lives.”
“The passage of this legislation marks an important victory in the battle against breast cancer,” said Pat Halpin-Murphy, PBCC President and Founder. “It will equip women with the resources they need to take charge of their health and be proactive.”
The bill creates a program within the PA Department of Health to make annual breast and cervical cancer screenings available to eligible women 40 to 49, complementing the current program available for women 50 to 64. Women whose family income does not exceed 250% of the Federal poverty level with no other access to health insurance qualify for screenings under the legislation. The program would go into effect after July 1, 2006.
The PBCC extends our thanks to Representative Kenney, Speaker John Perzel, Senator Jake Corman, Chairman of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, and Senator David Brightbill for their leadership in moving the bill quickly.
Governor Rendell was recognized in October by the PBCC as a Pink Ribbon Awardee at the Keystone Breast Cancer Conference for his commitment to women’s health issues.
The PBCC, founded in 1993, is a non-profit organization and the only statewide grassroots organization that speaks to and for breast cancer survivors. This year, more than 12,000 Pennsylvania women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. More than 2,300 will lose their lives to the disease. The PBCC’s mission is to help find a cure for breast cancer and improve the quality of breast cancer education, research and outreach throughout PA. |
