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[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 167 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 167

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

                            October 19, 1993

  Mr. Nadler submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         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 transmitted diseases 
        can be extremely serious in women;
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 transmitted 
        diseases: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that any national comprehensive 
benefit package that results from health care reform legislation (and 
the medicare program, but only with respect to items or services that 
are provided to women who are at least 65 years of age) should cover 
all preventive and treatment services relating to breast and cervical 
cancers, sexually transmitted diseases, and general gynecological 
health, including the following:
            (1) Annual pap smears and gynecological exams for women who 
        have reached childbearing age, are at least 16 years of age, or 
        are sexually active.
            (2) Any gynecological exam or test performed because a 
        woman suspects that she may have a gynecological infection or 
        because a woman is in need of any other gynecological health 
        service, but only if the exam or test has been recommended by 
        her physician or a specialist referred to in paragraph (5).
            (3) Annual mammograms for women who are at least 40 years 
        of age unless, in the opinion of the physician of a woman or a 
        specialist referred to in paragraph (5), such a mammogram 
        should not be provided because of a risk to the woman from 
        repeated radiation exposure.
            (4) Annual mammograms for women under the age of 40 if--
                    (A) the woman is a high-risk patient based on her 
                family history or based on her residence in an 
                environment where breast cancer rates are higher than 
                the national average unless, in the opinion of her 
                physician or a specialist referred to in paragraph (5), 
                such a mammogram should not be provided because of a 
                risk to the woman from repeated radiation exposure; or
                    (B) the woman requests a mammogram and it has been 
                recommended by her physician or a specialist referred 
                to in paragaph (5).
            (5) The cost of a second opinion concerning the medical 
        necessity or appropriateness of an item or service described in 
        paragraph (2), (3), or (4) performed by a specialist selected 
        by the woman concerned.

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