Cancer Society Seeks Money for Tobacco Prevention, Medicaid Expansion
Group won't renew effort this year for tougher statewide smoking ban
By Eric Berman - eric@wibc.com | @WIBC_Eric Berman
3/12/2013
Cancer Action Network executive vice president Nancy Yaw addresses a statehouse rally. (WIBC.com photo: Eric Berman)
Legislators are leaving Indiana's eight-month-old smoking ban alone in this year's session. But the American Cancer Society's lobbying arm wants to see a stronger stand against smoking in the state budget.
About 40 members of the Cancer Action Network fanned out at the statehouse to urge legislators to preserve funding for the health department's Tobacco Prevention and Cessation program.
The House-passed budget slashes the program's budget from $8 million a year to $5 million. Governor Pence's budget plan would have cut deeper, funding the program at $4 million a year.
Cancer Society legislative director Amanda Estridge argues cutting the program will lead to more smokers, resulting in increased health care and Medicaid costs that would far outweigh the savings.
Estridge and CAN regional?executive vice president?Nancy Yaw criticize the smoking ban enacted last year as too weak, but Yaw says they're resigned to the fact the legislature is unlikely to pass anything tougher. She's encouraging members to focus their efforts on comprehensive local smoking bans like those now in place in several cities, including Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Evansville.
CAN is also urging legislators to expand Medicaid eligibility under the federal health care law. The Republican legislature has backed Pence's decision to reject an expansion of traditional Medicaid, while leaving the door ajar for expansion if the government will allow it to be administered through the Healthy Indiana Plan.
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