News Release
December 30, 2004
Contact: Jo Kilgore, Public Information Officer, (405) 522-7474.
Cancer treatment program goes into effect
Oklahoma City – The Oklahoma Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program (BCCTP) will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2005, with eligible women receiving full Medicaid benefits for the duration of their cancer treatment.
In order to become eligible for Medicaid benefits, women must be screened for breast or cervical cancer under the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (BCCEDP) and found to be in need of treatment for either breast or cervical cancer. The BCCEDP was established under Title XV of the Public Health Service Act.
Eligibility requirements for the detection program that have been set out by federal guidelines include, under the age of 65, no creditable health insurance coverage, or other available insurance providing breast or cervical cancer services, including Medicaid. The BCCEDP grantees also have set income limits to utilize their screening programs.
Currently, three entities in the state of Oklahoma are administering BCCEDP grants, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) Chronic Disease Service, and the Kaw Nation of Oklahoma and Cherokee Nation. The OSDH operates their grant under the Take Charge! Program. The three grantees are working in collaboration with the OHCA to ensure that women who are found in need of treatment through their screening programs receive Medicaid services.
In addition to BCCEDP funded screening providers, the OSDH’s Take Charge! Program is seeking providers (physicians, PA's, nurse practitioners and nurse midwives) to join the network of non-funded screeners in order to expand the access options to women across the state. Any provider who is interested in more information about becoming a screening provider through the Take Charge! Program, may contact the Take Charge! Program Manager Cheryl M. (Charlie) Jones, R.N., at 1-405-271-4072 or charlieJ@health.state.ok.us.
Women, who believe they are eligible for the program and would like to be screened, should first ask their provider if he or she is a certified screening provider under any of the three BCCEDP programs. Women may also call the grantees at the following numbers to locate a screening clinic near them.
- Oklahoma State Health Department 866-550-5585 (toll-free)
- Cherokee Nation 877-458-4491 (toll-free) or 918- 458-4491
- Kaw Nation of Oklahoma 580-362-1039 ext. 228
Once an eligible woman is screened by a deemed provider and found to be in need of treatment, she will then complete an application for the treatment program. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services will determine if the applicant is otherwise eligible for basic Medicaid. If she is not; her application will be processed through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program for Medicaid services.
The OHCA will provide services for diagnosis and treatment beyond the initial screen. Women in this program, who receive further diagnostic testing and are found to not have cancer or pre-cancerous conditions will lose their Medicaid eligibility. However, if a woman does receive a diagnosis of cancer or a pre-cancerous condition, she will be enrolled in SoonerCare, the state’s partially capitated, managed care Medicaid program. The woman will choose a primary care provider and receive needed specialty referrals through the primary care provider. In addition, she will have available care management services, transportation through SoonerRide, the SoonerCare Helpline and Nurse Advice Line.
Eligible women will continue to receive services through SoonerCare until they are determined by their provider to no longer be in need of treatment for their cancer.
Any provider who is interested in signing a Medicaid contract in order to provide diagnostic or treatment services, may contact OHCA Provider Enrollment at (405) 522-6205 or 1-800-522-0114, select option 5.
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