Lawmakers and health care providers are praising a change in Ohio law that expands access to breast and cervical cancer screenings to hundreds of thousands of people.
More than 850,000 women can now get access to breast and cervical cancer screenings they might not be able to afford otherwise. The change fills the gap between people who can get an initial screening through the Affordable Care Act but not a follow-up test.
Mark Rickel, former Susan G. Komen Columbus board member, says this will play a vital role in increasing early detection.
“If we find and detect cancer early enough there’s as high as a 95 percent survival rate, so that’s why this is important that we can close the gap and get as many women that need the service can get the service,” he said.
The federal law pays for the first screening, so that leaves more money for the diagnostic tests.
