State Planning on Cutting Breast Cancer Screening for Under 50 Year Old's (Sacramento: fit in, health insurance)

[NewToCA]

Many of California's lowest-income women in their 40s no longer will be eligible for free breast cancer screenings by the state beginning New Year's Day.

Specifically, state health officials have ordered that the Every Woman Counts program stop providing breast cancer screenings for women in their 40s beginning New Year's Day.

The program serves Medi-Cal patients and women of the working poor.


Move to curb mammograms for poorest women sparks outrage - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee (http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/2399075.html - broken link)

[Charles]

At the very least, that would be motivation for the working poor to not be poor.

How many people are "poor" who 1) have a high school diploma, 2) have no more than one kid per $10/hour salary, and 3) don't have a continuous credit card balance?

[kstorts]

Originally Posted by Charles

At the very least, that would be motivation for the working poor to not be poor.

How many people are "poor" who 1) have a high school diploma, 2) have no more than one kid per $10/hour salary, and 3) don't have a continuous credit card balance?

Easier said than done Charles. While I was working the job I had (the job requires a MA, but I got it with only a BA), the health insurance was so high, I could not afford them. They wanted $500 out of my check for just myself, and I am married and have 3 kids. I must add that this job did NOT pay what you would expect for a job requiring a college degree ($12/hr to be exact). But with the economy the way it is, and the competition for jobs as it is, the employers can get highly qualified people for the jobs for little money- most of the people I know are just happy to be working! I know plenty of people that fit in all 3 of those categories you described...and while they may seem like "easy" fixes to those whom have never had to go through them, there is a lot more to the story then just "going back to school". It is too bad that they have cut back on this. I can think of some other areas that medi-cal should cut that would actually provide more money to the state....

oh- and i wanted to add- many of these "poor women" aren't likely to be THAT concerned about getting breast exams to see if they have cancer, they are more concerned with working their asses off to feed their kids. Most women are too busy taking care of everyone else to bother taking care of themselves.