2ESB 5714 -
By Committee on Health Care
ADOPTED 02/28/2006
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 43.70 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The legislature finds that Washington state has the highest
incidence of breast cancer in the nation. Despite this, mortality
rates from breast cancer have declined due largely to early screening
and detection. Invasive cervical cancer is the most preventable type
of cancer. The Pap test, used to detect early signs of this disease,
has been called "medicine's most successful screening test." Applied
consistently, invasive cervical cancer could nearly be eliminated. The
legislature further finds that increasing access to breast and cervical
cancer screening is critical to reducing incidence and mortality rates,
and eliminating the disparities of this disease in women in Washington
state. Furthermore, the legislature finds there is a need for a
permanent program providing early detection and screening to the women
and families of Washington state.
It is the intent of the legislature to establish an early detection
breast and cervical cancer screening program as a voluntary screening
program directed at reducing mortalities through early detection to be
offered to eligible women only as funds are available.
(2) As used in this section:
(a) "Eligible woman" means a woman who is age forty to sixty-four,
and whose income is at or below two hundred fifty percent of the
federal poverty level, as published annually by the federal department
of health and human services. Priority enrollment shall be given to
women as defined by the federal national breast and cervical cancer
early detection program, under P.L. 101-354.
(b) "Approved providers" means those state-supported health
providers, radiology facilities, and cytological laboratories that are
recognized by the department as meeting the minimum program policies
and procedures adopted by the department to qualify under the federal
national breast and cervical cancer early detection program, and are
designated as eligible for funding by the department.
(c) "Comprehensive" means a screening program that focuses on
breast and cervical cancer screening as a preventive health measure,
and includes diagnostic and case management services.
(3) The department of health is authorized to administer a state-supported early detection breast and cervical cancer screening program
to assist eligible women with preventive health services. To the
extent of available funding, eligible women may be enrolled in the
early detection breast and cervical cancer screening program and
additional eligible women may be enrolled to the extent that grants and
contributions from community sources provide sufficient funds for
expanding the program.
(4) Funds appropriated for the state program shall be used only to
operate early detection breast and cervical cancer screening programs
that have been approved by the department, or to increase access to
existing state-approved programs, and shall not supplant federally
supported breast and cervical cancer early detection programs.
(5) Enrollment in the early detection breast and cervical cancer
screening program shall not result in expenditures that exceed the
amount that has been appropriated for the program in the operating
budget. If it appears that continued enrollment will result in
expenditures exceeding the appropriated level for a particular fiscal
year, the department may freeze new enrollment in the program. Nothing
in this section prevents the department from continuing enrollment in
the program if there are adequate private or public funds in addition
to those appropriated in the biennial budget to support the cost of
such enrollment.
(6) The department shall establish a medical advisory committee
composed of interested medical professionals and consumer liaisons with
expertise in a variety of areas relevant to breast and cervical health
to provide expert medical advice and guidance. The medical advisory
committee shall address national, state, and local concerns regarding
best practices in the field of early prevention and detection for
breast and cervical cancer and assist the early detection breast and
cervical cancer screening program in implementing program policy that
follows the best practices of high quality health care for clinical,
diagnostic, pathologic, radiological, and oncology services."
2ESB 5714 -
By Committee on Health Care
ADOPTED 02/28/2006
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "program;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "and adding a new section to chapter 43.70 RCW."
EFFECT: Specifies that the Department of Health is not required to
administer the screening program, rather authorized to administer it to
the extent that funds are available. Specifies that expenditures for
the screening program may not exceed the appropriated amount.
Authorizes the Department of Health to freeze enrollment in the
screening program if expenditures exceed the appropriated funding
unless there are adequate funds from alternative public or private
sources.
Establishes a medical advisory committee to provide expert medical
advice and guidance in the implementation of the program.