Is Obama-care Potentially Hazardous for Women Fighting Breast Cancer?

The state of Washington sent a shock wave through the cancer-prevention community, when it recently decided to slice $1.5 million from its proposed budget that would wipe out the state's early detection breast cancer program. Breast cancer awareness groups fear such a move will impact some 5,000 women who would not be able to afford breast cancer screenings.

The move by Washington may be just the start of a nationwide effort by states looking to cut back on expenses before the full impact of Obama-care takes effect. The President's healthcare reform program is set to be fully operational by 2014, unless court rulings force changes to the law.

Programs such as the breast cancer early detection efforts are particularly vulnerable these days. It is these types of programs that some entities believe may not be necessary if Obama-care forces healthcare providers to offer the service. Therefore, the rationale could be to cut state funding now.

Breast cancer awareness activists say this could leave thousands of women without access to mammograms and treatments until such time that Obama-care takes effect. Even if they do have adequate health insurance, it's feared that many women would fail to receive the necessary education that would motivate them to obtain proper and regular screenings.

The situation would impact minorities even harder. Statitstics show breast cancer strikes minority women more frequently than any other form of cancer. And, the breast cancer mortality rate among African-American women is 35% higher than among white women.