Medicaid Available for Breast and Cervical Cancer Patients even if they don’t meet Eligibility Requirements

Add comment October 22nd, 2007

Medicaid Available for Breast and Cervical Cancer Patients even if they don’t meet Eligibility Requirements.

Women who have breast or cervical cancer—in addition to enduring the pain and suffering of a terrible disease—must also confront the logistical and financial nightmare of obtaining proper medical treatment. For thousands of women who have no medical insurance, the problems must seem overwhelming.

In 2000, however, Congress enacted The Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act, which makes Medicaid benefits available to such women, even if they would not otherwise be eligible for Medicaid.

This Act provides another example of where the laudable aims of a public policy are frustrated by the fact that few people are aware of the availability of these benefits and even fewer know how to obtain them. Some states—not including New York—will deny benefits unless the woman is diagnosed at a clinic funded by a federal cancer detection program.

If you, or a loved one, have breast or cervical cancer, you may be well advised to consult an attorney who is familiar with public benefits law and Medicaid.