[Kenna]

a.k.a. Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention Treatment (BCCPT) Program
or
"HealthyWoman Program" (for Pennsylvania)
or
"Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program" (for North Carolina)
or
for other program names/contacts, please see the link below...

I thought, after a private interaction with someone here on the site, that it might be a good idea to publicly talk about the BCCPT Program that is MANDATORY for all States and U.S. Territories (after the passage of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Mortality Prevention Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-354).

It makes me very sad to think how many individuals who are not aware of the "no cost" programs that are available. It enrages me that some States do not actively advertise their programs (I think because they are afraid of spending $$$??)

"CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) [ http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp/about.htm ] provides access to breast and cervical cancer screening services to underserved women in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, 5 U.S. territories, and 12 tribes."

"CDC's NBCCEDP provides low-income, uninsured, and underserved women access to timely breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services. Since 1990, NBCCEDP-funded programs have served more than 3.7 million women."

Here's a Program Contact list for all States and U.S. Territories:
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/cancerconta...ontactlist.asp

For many years, I was a low-income, single mom without ANY insurance and with a serious family history of breast cancer.... I did NOT know of the BCCPT Programs that Virginia or Pennsylvania were mandated to provide. It was not until I became a Department of Public Welfare Caseworker and later a Human Services Program Specialist, having the opportunity to work along side the Department of Health, that I was made aware of the BCCPT Programs.

I hope the above information is helpful to at least one person here...
Not having insurance coverage shouldn't be a roadblock to receiving appropriate screenings and health care.

This next statement was taken from Pennsylvania's website for the HealthyWoman Program:
The following services are provided to eligible women at no cost:
o Yearly breast mammogram
o Pelvic exam and Pap test
o Diagnostic follow up on abnormal test results
o Provide Culturally appropriate information and patient education materials
o Provide case management and referral into Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention Treatment (BCCPT) Program when cancer or a pre-cancerous condition is diagnosed
o Evaluation of screening programs and identification of access to care issues