HB 1602 — An Act amending the act of November 22, 2005 (P.L.407, No.74), known as the Pennsylvania Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Screening Act, further providing for short title, for definitions and for Pennsylvania Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Screening Program established.

PRINTER'S NO.   1918

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1602
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY GALLAGHER, J. HARRIS, FRANKEL, KHAN, HILL-EVANS,
        WAXMAN, SANCHEZ, T. DAVIS, McNEILL, GIRAL, FREEMAN, PROBST,
        SCHLOSSBERG, HANBIDGE, PIELLI, DONAHUE, HOHENSTEIN, NEILSON,
        RIVERA, JAMES, DOUGHERTY, D. WILLIAMS, RABB, STEELE,
        BOROWSKI, SAPPEY, INGLIS, CONKLIN, GUZMAN, MAYES, O'MARA,
        CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, CIRESI, SCHWEYER AND WARREN, JUNE 12, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INSURANCE, JUNE 16, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of November 22, 2005 (P.L.407, No.74), entitled
 2      "An act establishing a program for breast and cervical cancer
 3      screening services for certain eligible women; and providing
 4      for the powers and duties of the Department of Health,"
 5      further providing for short title, for definitions and for
 6      Pennsylvania Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Screening
 7      Program established.
 8      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 9   hereby enacts as follows:
10      Section 1.    Section 1 of the act of November 22, 2005
11   (P.L.407, No.74), known as the Pennsylvania Breast and Cervical
12   Cancer Early Screening Act, is amended to read:
13   Section 1.   Short title.
14      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania
15   Breast, Colorectal and Cervical Cancer Early Screening Act.
16      Section 2.    The definition of "program" in section 2 of the
17   act is amended and the section is amended by adding a definition
18   to read:
 1   Section 2.     Definitions.
 2      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
 3   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
 4   context clearly indicates otherwise:
 5      * * *
 6      "Colorectal cancer screening."         Any of the following
 7   procedures that are furnished to an individual for the purpose
 8   of early detection of colorectal cancer:
 9            (1)   Screening fecal-occult blood or fecal immunochemical
10      test.
11            (2)   Screening flexible sigmoidoscopy.
12            (3)   Screening colonoscopy.
13            (4)   Screening barium enema.
14            (5)   CT colonography.
15            (6)   Multi-target stool DNA test.
16            (7)   Screening tests consistent with approved medical
17      standards and practices for the early detection of colorectal
18      cancer.
19      * * *
20      "Program."     The Pennsylvania Breast, Colorectal and Cervical
21   Cancer Early Screening Program established in section 3.
22      * * *
23      Section 3.     Section 3 of the act is amended to read:
24   Section 3.     Pennsylvania Breast, Colorectal and Cervical Cancer
25                  Early Screening Program established.
26      (a)   Program established.--There is hereby established within
27   the Department of Health a program to be known as the
28   Pennsylvania Breast, Colorectal and Cervical Cancer Early
29   Screening Program, which shall provide for the availability of
30   [annual] breast cancer screening services, colorectal cancer

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 1   screening services and cervical cancer screening services [for
 2   low-income underinsured and uninsured women who are 40 to 49
 3   years of age.] at intervals recommended by clinical practice
 4   guidelines based on age and sex.
 5      (b)   Screening services.--The program shall be administered
 6   by the department for [women] individuals who are eligible under
 7   subsection (c) and shall be targeted towards [women] residents
 8   of this Commonwealth who are at high risk for breast, colorectal
 9   and cervical cancer.
10      (c)   Eligibility.--To be eligible for the program, an
11   individual must meet all of the following requirements:
12            (1)   Be [a woman who is 40 to 49 years of age.] any of
13      the following:
14                  (i)    A woman who is 40 to 49 years of age for breast
15            cancer and cervical cancer screenings.
16                  (ii)    For colorectal cancer screenings, an individual
17            who is:
18                         (A)   45 years of age or older, or 40 to 45 years
19                  of age with a family history of colon cancer; or
20                         (B)   within 10 years of the age of a first-degree
21                  family relative previously diagnosed with colon
22                  cancer.
23            (2)   Have a family income that does not exceed 250% of
24      the Federal poverty level.
25            (3)   Have no health insurance coverage for screening
26      mammograms, clinical breast examinations, Pap [tests and
27      pelvic examinations for women.], HPV or co-tests, pelvic
28      examinations or colorectal cancer screenings.
29      Section 4.        This act shall take effect in 60 days.



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