Kentucky Receives Federal Approval To Cover Breast, Cervical Cancer Treatment for Low-Income Women Through Medicaid
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson on Nov. 13 approved an expansion plan that will allow Kentucky to extend Medicaid coverage to uninsured women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program administered by the CDC (HHS release, 11/13). Under the federal Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act, enacted in October 2000, states can request an expansion of their Medicaid programs to include uninsured women younger than age 65 diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer. Women who qualify will receive Medicaid coverage throughout their cancer treatment. The federal government will cover up to 85% of the cost of the treatment (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 10/30). The Kentucky program will cost $6 million annually; the state will contribute $1.2 million and the federal government $4.8 million, the Lexington Herald-Leader reports. "This expansion offers help, hope and health care to women in Kentucky who otherwise would receive only a diagnosis that may sound more like a death sentence," Thompson said (Dooley, Lexington Herald-Leader, 11/14).
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