Press release: Senate Restoring BCCP is a Step in the Right Direction

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Michelle Zimmerman

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

Phone: (888) 227-6446 Ext. 8601

E-mail: [email protected]

Senate Restoring BCCPTreatment Program is a Step in the Right Direction 

Restoring health care coverage option to treat BCCP in budget will save lives

Columbus, OH. –June 18, 2015– This statement can be attributed to Jeff Stephens, director of government relations in Ohio for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN).

“ACS CAN applauds Governor Kasich for his continued investment in the Breast and Cervical Cancer Project (BCCP) in his budget. This program provides vital cancer screenings, such as mammograms, to low-income, uninsured women in our state.

 “We were very disappointed when the Ohio House removed the treatment provisions from its budget.  House Bill 64 as passed by the House maintained current state funding levels for screening and diagnosis through Ohio’s BCCP. Additionally, with the addition of tax check-off dollars as a result of Rep. Schuring’s HB 112 from last session, Ohio will be able to screen even more women in the next biennium. However, HB 64 eliminated the Medicaid Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program, leaving some Ohio women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer through BCCP without access to a health care coverage option to treat their breast or cervical cancer.  

 “Thankfully, the Senate has seen fit to include the treatment portion of BCCP in its version of the budget. We applaud the Senate and hope conference committee will also preserve this important measure.”

 For details on the proposed tobacco control package offered by the Senate, please see the joint statement with our partner health organizations via the “Investing in Tobacco Free Youth” campaign.

 ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.

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