Cancer activists applaud house passage of Native American cancer treatment bill

American Cancer Society
Thursday, 20 December 2001

Presidential signature still needed to become law

The American Cancer Society, the nation's leading voluntary health agency, today congratulated the United States House of Representatives for unanimously passing the "Native American Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Technical Amendment Act" (S. 1741), and for recognizing the importance of ensuring that Native American women have access to life-saving cancer treatment the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act (BCCPTA). The Act, originally introduced in the House as H.R.1383 by Representatives Tom Udall, D-New Mexico, J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz., and J.C. Watts, R-Okla., 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 House leadership and the cosponsors of this legislation for their effective bipartisan effort to pass this important legislation before the end of the current Congressional session. This simple change will dramatically impact the lives of all Native American women, ensuring them access to quality cancer care treatment. Now it is up to the Administration to complete the process by signing this life-saving legislation into law." said H. Fred Mickelson, Chairman of the National Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society.

The Senate version of the bill (S. 1741), which was passed by unanimous vote in late November, now awaits President George W. Bush's signature to become public law.

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's program provides breast and cervical cancer screenings, outreach, and post screening diagnostic services in all 50 states to women in medically underserved communities, therefore helping them catch the disease at an earlier and more treatable stage. Once diagnosed, the BCCPTA provides treatment for these women through state Medicaid programs.

The Society has made the protection of all women from breast and cervical cancer a top legislative priority and it supports full implementation of the BCCPTA in all 50 states. Currently, 32 states offer coverage under the BCCPTA and 48 states have taken administrative and/or legislative action towards enactment of the Act.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death behind lung cancer, and, after skin cancer, is the most frequently diagnosed. This year an estimated 40,600 women will die of breast cancer, and 192,000 new cases will be diagnosed. When detected in early stages, more than 30 percent of breast cancer deaths can be prevented. Regrettably, many of these deaths and cases will occur disproportionately among women from predominantly low income and medically underserved communities.

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