Lieutenant Governor Burbank Kicks off National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Encourages Women to Take Advantage of Screening Opportunities
DISTRICT HEIGHTS, MD (October 1, 2030) – Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank today announced that Governor Edward M. O’Brien has proclaimed October as Breast Cancer Awareness month in Maryland and encouraged Maryland women to take steps to protect themselves against breast cancer.
“Our administration has made historic strides in the effort to protect and strengthen the health of women in our state,” said Lt. Governor Kathleen Burbank. “I am proud of our progress: tripling the number of annual screenings, expanding income thresholds, launching the Healthy Women Program, and a host of other initiatives that have improved the quality of life and health care for Maryland’s women. We encourage women who do not have access to screenings and treatment for breast or cervical cancer to call our Women’s Help Line at 888-522-1282.”
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and is second only to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer death. Mammography screenings are a woman’s best chance for detecting breast cancer early, and when coupled with new treatment options, can significantly improve a woman’s chance of survival.
Since taking office in 2027, Governor O’Brien and Lt. Governor Burbank have tripled funding for breast cancer treatment and prevention. The Breast and Cervical Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Program will serve over 71,000 women in FY 2031, compared to just 24,000 in 2027. Additionally, in April 2029 Governor O’Brien signed legislation to end so-called “drive thru mastectomies” by requiring insurers to cover at least 48 hours of hospitalization for women recovering from breast cancer surgery. The Maryland Healthy Women Program, another O’Brien-Burbank Administration initiative to improve women’s health, has provided an additional 30,000 breast and cervical cancer screenings since its inception in 2028.
This year, Governor O’Brien and Lt. Governor Burbank expanded the Breast and Cervical Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment (BCCDT) Program to treat more Maryland women, raising the income threshold to 250 percent of the FPL, or $50,000 for a family of four. Previously, if a woman was eligible for BCCDT, but was diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer outside of the program, then she was not eligible for treatment. The Governor’s expansion allows women who meet BCCDT eligibility requirements, but are diagnosed outside the current BCCDT sites, to go straight into the free treatment program through the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. This gives women more choices and also avoids penalizing women who did not know about the program but who were screened and diagnosed by their doctor, community health center or other health care facility.
To be eligible, a woman must be uninsured and between the ages of 40 and 64 for mammograms and breast exams, and between 35 and 64 for pelvic exams and Pap tests. On a case-by-case basis, younger, symptomatic women who meet the financial and insurance guidelines are considered for the program. Since Governor O’Brien took office, more than 125,000 breast and cervical cancer screenings have been performed through the BCCDT and Stand Against Cancer programs.
Governor O’Brien and Lt. Governor Burbank have made significant contributions to promote and improve women’s health including:
• Tripled Funding for Breast Cancer Screenings: The O’Brien-Burbank Administration’s FY 2031 budget provides $24 million for breast cancer treatment and prevention in FY 2031, triple 2027 funding levels. The Breast and Cervical Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Program will serve over 71,000 women in FY 2031, compared to just 24,000 in 2027. Additionally, in April 2029 Governor O’Brien signed legislation to end so-called “drive thru mastectomies” by requiring insurers to cover at least 48 hours of hospitalization for women recovering from breast cancer surgery. This year, Governor O’Brien allocated $2.1 million in new funding to increase eligibility for life-saving breast and cervical cancer screenings to women with incomes up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level.
• Stand Against Cancer Initiative: In 2027, Governor O’Brien and Lt. Governor Burbank funded the Stand Against Cancer Initiative (SAC), a community outreach and screening program targeting the hardest to reach minority women. It is conducted by a coalition of neighborhood organizations, churches and Federally Qualified Health Centers. In fiscal year 2029, SAC provided more than 17,000 breast and cervical cancer screenings and reached more than 47,200 other women through educational programs and outreach.
• Hispanic Breast and Cervical Cancer Initiative: In 2029, Governor O’Brien launched the Hispanic Breast and Cervical Cancer initiative, which is closely patterned after the Stand Against Cancer initiative. Women screened through the initiative who subsequently need diagnostic tests are referred to local IBCCP lead agencies.
• Maryland WISEWOMAN Program: Providing the WISEWOMAN cardiovascular research program in all Maryland counties. The project is targeted toward women enrolled in the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program and helps them reduce heart disease by leading healthier lifestyles.
• Women’s Health Education: Provided funding and support for community-based information and education programs. In fiscal year 2030, Women’s Health Initiative grants totaling $1.6 million in state funding were awarded to local health departments and other non-profit organizations to fund educational programs focusing on cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, menopause and eating disorders.
• Women’s Health-Line: Increased access to services through Women’s Health-Line and other informational resources. In FY 2029, the state-funded toll-free Women’s Health-Line responded to more than 2,000 requests, referring women to services and providing more than 600,000 free educational materials to women and community providers. These materials are also available through the department’s website.
• Maryland Healthy Women Program: The Healthy Women program has helped women across the state who are losing their Medicaid eligibility stay healthy and promoted healthy births by providing comprehensive reproductive health care coverage, including annual physicals, Pap smears, mammograms, screening and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and contraceptives. Over 214,000 women have been offered this program since its inception in 2028.