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Managing America: Health

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Week Ending March 30, 2006

H.R.1132 To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide waivers relating to grants for preventive health measures with respect to breast and cervical cancers.

This bill hopes to improve availability of breast and cervical cancer screenings by establishing a grant program for a sampling of five states that will look to leverage federal grant money to bring in private sector participation and increase availability of screening services to women.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services is directed to establish a demonstration project allowing for waiving requirements for not more than five states if the state involved will use the waiver to leverage private funds with respect to breast and cervical cancer screenings. The State must provide assurances that it will, on an annual basis, demonstrate the manner in which the State will use each waiver to maintain or expand the level of screening and follow-up services provided immediately prior to the waiver. The State must deliver to the Secretary a plan for maintaining the level of activities carried out under the waiver after it expires.

The Secretary must find that granting waivers to a State will not reduce the number of women in the State that will receive the services nor the level or quality of service.

The Secretary must also complete a two year performance review with participating States to determine that, without an extension of the waiver, there will be a barrier to enrolling qualified women or that the State will use the waiver to leverage private funds to supplement the services of activities. It must be determined that the waiver will not reduce the number of women receiving the services nor will the quality of services be diminished. To continue States must show the average annual funding level is maintained.

A report to Congress will describe total dollars leveraged annually from private entities in waiver states and details of the procedures offered and the number of women recipients.

Sponsor:  Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI-2^nd)

Vote: Passed House by voice vote March 27, 2007

Cost to the taxpayers: “$225,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $245,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, $255,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, and $275,000,000 for fiscal year 2012'” “CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1132 would cost $86 million in 2008 and $1 billion over the 2008-2012 period”

Earmark Certification:   Not applicable to this bill.

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