Senate to Vote on Breast/Cervical Cancer Treatment Bill

Senator Debbe Leftwich said she is hopeful the full Senate will support her efforts to ensure all Oklahoma women have access to breast and cervical cancer treatment. House Bill 2552 won approval by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

“The American Cancer Society has a map of the United States showing all the states that provide breast and cervical cancer treatment to women who are under-insured or have no insurance. Oklahoma is the only state that offers no such program,” said Senator Leftwich, D-OKC.

Senator Leftwich hopes to change that with the passage of HB 2552. The measure would create a revolving fund that would help capture four-to-one federal matching dollars.

Gov. Brad Henry proposed a $2.5 million appropriation in his executive budget to help pay for the program. First Lady Kim Henry has also publicly supported the measure.

“Of course, the key here is securing the funding. But I can tell you right now, it is far less expensive to treat breast and cervical cancer when it is diagnosed in its early stages. If these women know they can have access to health care, they’re more likely to seek it sooner,” said Senator Leftwich.

“Every year, more than 2,700 Oklahoma women are diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer. We rank 14th in the nation in the annual number of cancer related deaths. Make no mistake, this is not just a women’s health issue. When someone’s wife, daughter, sister or mother is diagnosed with cancer, it impacts everyone around them. This is a health problem facing our entire state—it’s a family issue that we must address,” said Senator Leftwich.

Senator Leftwich said she expected the full Senate to vote on HB 2552 within the next two to three weeks.