California To Halt Mammogram Program - Every Woman Counts Program To Be Suspended Jan. 1

[Kadie]

California To Halt Mammogram Program
Every Woman Counts Program To Be Suspended Jan. 1

LOS ANGELES -- A state program that provides mammogram services to low-income women is temporarily stopping new enrollments, and plans to raise the eligibility age when it restarts seven months later.

The Every Woman Counts program will be suspended Jan. 1, and when it starts up again July 2, 2010, California Department of Public Health director Dr. Mark Horton said it won't serve women under the age of 50.

Previously, to be eligible for the program women had to be 40 years old.

Horton blamed declining state tobacco tax revenues and increasing demand for screenings for the cuts.

The program served 311,000 California women this fiscal year and expects to serve 259,000 next year.

http://www.kcra.com/health/21901948/detail.html

[MadMaddie]

1. This is insane!

[Happyhippychick]

2. Fuckers. This is EXACTLY what I was afraid would happen.

[walldude]

3. Horton blamed declining state tobacco tax revenues

Anybody buying this line of bullshit?

[Kadie]

4. Are people not smoking as much?

:shrug:

Sounds like a convenient cop out.

I can believe that demand is up. More people without insurance. More people in need.

[anigbrowl]

6. This is in fact the case

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/145621.php

furthermore, cigarettes and tobacco are taxed very highly in CA, brand cigarettes at $5-6 and generics are $4-5. But also, California has been hit particularly hard by the recession. Given that a pack-a-day habit costs upwards of $1200/year to maintain, is it any surprise that rates are going down? Even people who smoke half that amount would probably rather not spend $5-600 a year on it. I've noticed a distinct drop in the number of people smoking outside bars and so on over the last year.

[cynatnite]

5. So, the women are the first ones tossed overboard in order to save a sinking ship. n/t