Below is the proposed bill - House Bill 275 - that would appropriate $8 million over the next two years to implement the Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Program.

AN ACT relating to the Colon Cancer Screening Program and making an appropriation therefor.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:

âSection 1.   KRS 214.542 is amended to read as follows:

(1)      The program shall provide colon cancer screening for uninsured individuals who are age fifty (50) to sixty-four (64) and other uninsured individuals determined to be at high risk for developing colon cancer.

(2)      Services provided under the program may be undertaken by private contract for services or operated by the department. The program may also provide referral services for the benefit of individuals for whom further examination or treatment is indicated by the colon cancer screening.

(3)      The department shall[may] adopt a schedule of income-based fees to be charged for colon cancer screening. The schedule adopted shall be such that the screening is affordable and accessible to the largest possible number of individuals throughout the Commonwealth.

(4)      The department may accept any grant or award of funds from federal or private sources for carrying out the provisions of this section.

(5)      The department shall establish a data collection system to document the number of individuals screened, the demographic characteristics of the individuals screened, and the types of colon cancer screening tests performed under the program.

(6)      The department shall promulgate administrative regulations to implement the provisions of this section.

âSection 2.   There is appropriated $3,000,000 in fiscal year 2012-2013 and $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2013-2014 from the General Fund to the Department of Public Health in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services for deposit in the Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Program fund established in KRS 214.543.