IV

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 217

Expressing the sense of the Congress that any comprehensive health care

reform legislation that is enacted should ensure that women receive

appropriate breast and cervical cancer screenings and general gynecological care consistent with current medical standards.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 8, 1994

Mr. NADLER submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred jointly to the Committees on Energy and Commerce and Ways and

Means

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress that any comprehensive

health care reform legislation that is enacted should ensure that women receive appropriate breast and cervical

cancer screenings and general gynecological care consistent with current medical standards.

Whereas, in 1993, breast and cervical cancers will affect

195,000 women in the United States and will result in

50,400 deaths;

Whereas, in the 1990s, over 500,000 women in the United

States will lose their lives to breast and cervical cancers;

Whereas the medical complications associated with sexually

transmissible diseases can be extremely serious in women;
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Whereas millions of women each year are affected by such

diseases, which often remain undiagnosed; and

Whereas improved access to preventive care will benefit all

women in the United States and their families by reducing needless suffering and loss of life caused by breast

and cervical cancers and sexually transmissible diseases:

Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that any

3 national comprehensive benefit package that results from

4 health care reform legislation (and the medicare program,

5 but only with respect to items or services that are provided

6 to women who are at least 65 years of age) should cover

7 all preventive and treatment services relating to breast

8 and cervical cancers, sexually transmissible diseases, and

9 general gynecological health, including the following:

10 (1) Annual pap smears and gynecological exams

11 for women who have reached childbearing age, are at

12 least 16 years of age, or are sexually active.

13 (2) Any gynecological exam or test performed

14 because a woman suspects that she may have a gyn15 ecological infection or because a woman is in need

16 of any other gynecological health service, but only if

17 the exam or test has been recommended by her phy18 sician or a specialist referred to in paragraph (5).

19 (3) Annual mammograms for women who are at

20 least 40 years of age.
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1 (4) Annual mammograms for women under the

2 age of 40 if—

3 (A) the woman is a high-risk patient based

4 on her family history or based on her residence

5 in an environment where breast cancer rates

6 are higher than the national average; or

7 (B) the woman requests a mammogram

8 and it has been recommended by her physician

9 or a specialist referred to in paragraph (5).

10 (5) The cost of a second opinion concerning the

11 medical necessity or appropriateness of an item or

12 service described in paragraph (2), (3), or (4) per13 formed by a specialist selected by the woman

14 concerned.

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