Update 3/5/2007: Colorado HPV Vaccine bill

Update & Action Alert - HPV vaccine legislation
March 5, 2007
HB 1301
Update - HB 1301
HB 1301 will be heard in the House Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday, March 8th at 1:30 in the Legislative Services Building room LSB-A. This building is just south of the capitol building. HB1301 is 2nd on the calendar, however that is subject to change.

Reps. Buescher and Primavera and Senator Williams are the sponsors. The bill establishes the cervical cancer immunization program, requires a cervical cancer public awareness campaign and mandates health insurance policies provide coverage for cervical cancer immunizations.

Senator Williams, a member of Women in Government, is the senate sponsor of both SB 80 and HB 1301. Senator Williams was quoted in a Rocky Mountain News article saying if SB 80 dies, she will try to fold portions of it into her house bill.

Here is a link to HB 1301 [PDF] however this bill will most likely be amended to include parts of SB80.
Action - HB 1301}
Contact members of the House Health and Human Services Committee.

Talking points:
  • Concerns about HPV vaccine safety, efficacy and cost. Go to www.nvic.org for more information on these and other concerns.

  • DO NOT mandate insurance coverage for HPV Vaccine - mandates drive up the cost of health insurance.

  • Colorado Taxpayers should not be funding a "public awareness campaign" for Merck.
  • According to the bill summary on page 2:
    HB1301 "Establishes the cervical cancer immunization fund ("program fund") for the program. Transfers $1.5 million of moneys in the Prevention, early detection, and treatment fund to the program fund for the program".
Money should not be taken away from programs that provide cancer screening and pap smears for older women who are at risk and put into a vaccination program for young girls who are not at risk. Annual pap smears will still be necessary because the vaccine does not cover all strains of the virus.

House Health and Human Services Committee Members:
Representative McGihon, Chairman- 303-866-2921
Representative Frangas, Vice-Chairman - 303-866-2954
Gagliardi - 303-866-2962
Green - 303-866-2951
Kefalas - 303-866-4569
Kerr J - 303-866-2939
Primavera - 303-866-4667
Riesberg - 303-866-2929
Roberts, -303-866-2914
Stafford - 303-866-2944
Swalm - 303-866-5510
anne.mcgihon.house@state.co.us | kjerry.frangas.house@state.co.us | sara.gagliardi.house@state.co.us | gwyn.green.house@state.co.us | john.kefalas.house@state.co.us | james.kerr.house@state.co.us dianne.primavera.house@state.co.us | jim.riesberg.house@state.co.us | ellen.Roberts.house@state.co.us | debbie.Stafford.house@state.co.us | spencer.swalm.house@state.co.us
 
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