Affiliate Spotlight

Join our fight!

Breast cancer survivors and advocates from across the state gathered Monday, February 8 to urge state leaders to restore and protect funding for Every Woman Counts,  the vital safety-net breast cancer screening program for low-income, uninsured and underinsured women in California.  The cuts have a minor impact on the budget deficit - but will have grave consequences for California's women leaving many with no options.  

We strongly urge California's leaders to: 

□     Reopen Every Woman Counts to New Entrants As Soon As Possible

Every Woman Counts, which provides screening and diagnostic services to low-income, uninsured and underinsured women in California, is no longer serving women age 40 to 49 as of January 1, 2010.  The program has also placed a freeze on new enrollments for women age 50 and older until July 2010. The Komen California Affiliates support legislative efforts to reinstate funds for Every Woman Counts, including AB 1640 by Assembly Members Noreen Evans and Pedro Nava, and SB 836 by Senator Jenny Oropeza. We also support other efforts to improve access to mammography screening like AB 113 by Assembly Member Andrew Portantino. 

□     Reinstate Access to Every Woman Counts for Women Age 40 to 49

Women age 40 to 49 — who are no longer eligible for Every Woman Counts thanks to this year’s program cuts — make up about 17 percent of breast cancer cases diagnosed each year.  The Komen California Affiliates want to make sure all women have access to breast cancer screening, including women age 40 to 49. AB 1640 by Assembly Members Evans and Nava, and SB 836 by Senator Oropeza, would reinstate access to screening services for women age 40 to 49.

□     Protect Every Woman Counts from Additional Cuts in FY2011

Governor Schwarzenegger outlined cuts to a number of safety net programs that will likely be “triggered” in FY2011 if the state does not receive additional federal aid. Included in these cuts is the elimination of $22.1 million in Proposition 99 funding for Every Woman Counts, which would slash projected expenditures for 2010-11 by more than a third. Without other alternatives, these women are likely to delay recommended screenings, leading to later diagnoses, larger tumors at diagnosis, fewer treatment options and lower chances for survival. 

□     Protect Cancer Treatment Services for Underserved Women in FY2011

In addition to the cuts proposed for Every Woman Counts, the Governor has also proposed the complete elimination of the California’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment program if adequate aid is not received from the federal government.  The treatment program, which is administered by Medi-Cal, provides affordable breast cancer treatment to low-income, uninsured women who would not otherwise be eligible for Medi-Cal benefits. This would effectively leave 9,000 women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer with no place to go for affordable treatment. 

Are you on facebook?
If so, join Komen San Diego's facebook group and go pink!
Click here to find us.