Cancer Screening Services Through Colorado Department Of Public Health And Environment

Current law appropriates $5 million annually from the tobacco tax cash fund to the department of public health and environment (department) for breast and cervical cancer screenings. The bill expands the use of the funds for additional cancer screenings. The bill changes the name of the breast cancer screening fund to the cancer screening fund and authorizes the money in the fund to be used for breast and cervical cancer screenings, colorectal cancer screenings, and screenings for additional screenable cancers.

The bill changes the makeup of the existing advisory board from persons interested in health care and the promotion of breast cancer screenings to include persons who are interested in health care and the promotion of services for other screenable cancers. When making recommendations to the executive director of the department concerning cancer screening services, the bill requires the advisory board to allocate, at a minimum, $2.5 million annually for breast and cervical cancer screenings, $1 million annually for colorectal cancer screenings, and, if feasible, money for screenings for additional screenable cancers.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)