Senate Passes bill on Native American Cancer Treatment

American Cancer Society
Thursday, 29 November 2001

Cancer Activists call for quick House of Representatives passage

The American Cancer Society, the nation's leading voluntary health agency, congratulates the United States Senate for unanimously passing the "Native American Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Amendment Act" (S. 1741), and for recognizing the importance of making sure all women in need are eligible for care under the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act (BCCPTA). The Senate-passed Act, introduced by Senator Jeff Bingaman, D-New Mexico, seeks to correct a technical error in the BCCPTA, which inadvertently made Native American women unable to receive the full benefits of treatment provided for under the Act.

"We thank the Senate leadership and the cosponsors for their effective bipartisan efforts which lead to the passage of this legislation. This simple change will dramatically impact the lives of all Native American women, ensuring them access to quality cancer care treatment. Now, the House of Representatives must act quickly to also pass this life-saving legislation," said H. Fred Mickelson, Chairman, National Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society.

The Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act was passed by Congress last year as a way for states to help fund and administer the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) breast cancer screening program. The CDC program helps women in medically underserved communities catch the disease at an earlier and more treatable stage. Once diagnosed, the BCCPTA provides treatment for these women through state Medicaid programs. We are now urging that the House of Representatives' to quickly pass their identical version of the bill (H.R. 1383).

The Society has made the protection of all women, particularly those in traditionally medically underserved communities, from breast and cervical cancer a top legislative priority and supports full implementation of the BCCPTA in all 50 states. Currently, 45 states have taken action to implement the Act through their Medicaid programs. Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Tennessee, and the District of Colombia are still considering action for this year.

In the last ten years, breast cancer has taken the lives of nearly one-half million women in the United States. In 2001, approximately 192,200 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among women and 40,200 women are expected to die from this disease. When detected in early stages, more than 30 percent of breast cancer deaths can be prevented.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service.

For information about cancer, call toll-free anytime 1-800-ACS-2345.

For more information, or to contact American Cancer Society, see their website at: www.cancer.org