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PA Governor Rendell Proposes Giving More Women Access to Breast and Cervical Cancer Services

Posted on: Thursday, 2 February 2006, 12:00 CST

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell is making an unprecedented commitment to provide annual breast and cervical cancer screening for women as part of his 2006-07 budget.

"Governor Rendell is committed to making sure the women of the commonwealth have access to preventative testing, early treatments and critical information," Leslie Stiles, Pennsylvania Commission for Women executive director, said at a news conference today with Pat Halpin-Murphy, president and founder of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition. "His concern for these serious life-threatening diseases is evident from his proposal to fully fund the Pennsylvania Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Screening Act."

The $1.7 million proposed in the Governor's 2006-07 budget will fund a program within the Department of Health to make annual breast and cervical cancer screenings available for women ages 40 to 49. Women whose family income does not exceed 250 percent of the federal poverty level with no other access to health insurance qualify for screenings under the legislation. Pennsylvania women aged 50 to 64 are already able to receive free mammograms through the HealthyWoman Project.

"I am pleased to join Leslie today in celebration as Governor Rendell takes the next step in helping Pennsylvania women by setting aside funding for these free mammograms in his budget," said Halpin-Murphy.

"The Rendell administration is committed to providing women the opportunities they need to become, and stay, healthy," said Rosemarie Greco, director of the Governor's Office of Health Care Reform. "Programs ranging from prenatal care to PAP smears, from smoking cessation to arthritis and osteoporosis screenings, our goal is to help women be as healthy as they can."

Each year, thousands of women die needlessly from cervical cancer. This year alone, more than 12,000 Pennsylvania women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

"It is critical to provide this protection and service for Pennsylvania women," said Governor Rendell. "I am proud that more than 4,000 women, some uninsured and underinsured, will now have access to information not only on treatment if they have been diagnosed, but on breast and cervical cancer screening to try to catch the disease before it has progressed too far for treatment to be effective. For the first time ever, women ages 40-49 in Pennsylvania will get that opportunity."

The Women's Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Screening Act, House Bill 1606, was signed by the Governor this past November after being unanimously passed by both the House and Senate. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2006.

The Rendell Administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit his Web site at: http://www.governor.state.pa.us/.

CONTACT: Kristianna Smith

717-783-1116

Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

CONTACT: Kristianna Smith of Pennsylvania Office of the Governor,+1-717-783-1116

Web site: http://www.governor.state.pa.us/

Source: PRNewswire

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