On December 9, the House approved, by unanimous consent, the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) Reauthorization Act of 2006 (H.R. 5472). The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the measure on September 27 (see The Source, 9/29/06).
The bill would reauthorize the NBCCEDP through the year 2020. The Breast and Cervical Cancer Mortality Prevention Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-354) established the NBCCEDP at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The program provides cervical cancer screenings for low-income women aged 18-64 and breast cancer screening, including mammograms, for low-income women aged 40-64. In 2000, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-354) gave states the option to provide medical assistance through Medicaid to eligible women who were screened for and found to have breast or cervical cancer, including precancerous conditions, through NBCCEDP. The bill also would provide the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services with the authority to grant two-year waivers to states in limited circumstances, allowing them to direct more resources to outreach efforts that target rural and/or other underserved populations.
