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Medicare Cuts = Cancer Screening Cuts

Medicare Cuts = Cancer Screening Cuts

Just last week, U.S. House leadership decided to eliminate an extension of enhanced federal funds for Medicaid from a bill moving through Congress. Without the funds, states will have to make further cuts into vital state services, potentially including life-saving breast cancer screening and treatment.

Women's lives are at stake. Without the extension, states will have to make deep cuts into core public health programs and vital services like mammography and treatments like surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

Our leaders need to hear from us TODAY. Please, take a moment and fill out the form below to send a message to your legislators, asking them to pass the six month extension of increased federal spending on Medicaid.

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I write on behalf of breast cancer patients, survivors and advocates across the country to request that you restore the six-month extension of the enhanced federal Medicaid match, which was stricken from the Tax Extender bill, H.R. 4213. Without the extension, states must make further cuts to vital state services, including life-saving breast cancer screening and treatment.

According to the National Coalition of State Legislators (NCSL), thirty states have proposed or approved state budgets for FY2011 that assume Congress would approve a six-month Medicaid enhancement.

Without the enhanced Medicaid funding, women will lose access to vital cancer screening services like mammography and diagnostic services.  Most of these otherwise-eligible women will not get regular screenings, leading to later diagnoses, more advanced cancers, and lower chances of survival - and leading to higher expenses for federal and state budgets down the road.  Women may also lose access to affordable breast cancer treatment services like surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.  
 
I understand the difficult budget environment you face today - but in this case women's lives are at literally at stake.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

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