Section 1572 - Declaration of policyThe General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) As the issue of universal health care is debated at the Federal and State levels, the special health care needs of women must be addressed.(2) If women had access to quality preventative health care, many diseases could be prevented or treated in their early stages when it is less expensive and there is a much better chance of recovery.(3) Less than 60% of women 40 years of age or older and 70 years of age or younger have pap smears at least once every three years.(4) Nearly 7,000 women die each year from cervical cancer nationwide.(5) In 1989 there were 212 cervical cancer deaths in this Commonwealth.(6) Nine out of ten deaths from cervical cancer could be prevented if more women had regular pap smears.(7) In 1989, 658 cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed and reported in this Commonwealth. The number of cases reported have increased consistently since 1985. 1994, April 22, P.L. 136, No. 20, § 2, effective in 60 days.