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Chapter 6. The Prostate Cancer Act Of 1998 of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 103. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 6.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Prostate Cancer Act of 1998.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
  (a) California has the highest incidence of and death from prostate cancer, and due to the increased public awareness of the disease, the timing is appropriate to establish programs for prostate cancer education and early detection services for uninsured men. Despite the advances in the treatment and detection of prostate cancer, the death rate of this disease continues to climb at an alarming rate--a rate higher than breast cancer and many other high profile diseases.
  (b) Approximately 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed this year.
  (c) Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men.
  (d) Prostate cancer has led to an estimated 38,000 deaths nationally in 1994 and is the second-leading cause of cancer death in men.
  (e) Nationally, the incidence of prostate cancer increased 50 percent between 1980 and 1990.
  (f) Prostate cancer diagnosis in California nearly doubled over the five-year period covered by the recently published California Cancer Registry, from 11,900 new cases in 1988 to 22,200 in 1992. The age-adjusted incidence rate increased by 65 percent, from 98.6 new cases per 100,000 males in 1988 to 163 in 1992.
  (g) African Americans have a 30 percent higher risk of developing prostate cancer than whites, which is the highest risk of any race or ethnic group.
  (h) About 60 percent of all prostate cancers are discovered before they have spread.
  (i) The cure rate for prostate cancer, if detected before metastasis, is 84 percent.
  (j) The majority of commercial managed care plans offer prostate cancer screening for their members.
  (k) The employment of prostate-specific antigen assays as common medical practice within suspect categories will enhance early detection of prostate cancer.
(a) The Prostate Cancer Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury. It is the intent of the Legislature that the fund be funded by an annual appropriation, when funds are available, in the Budget Act.
  (b) The moneys in the Prostate Cancer Fund shall be expended by the State Department of Health Care Services, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purpose of the Prostate Cancer Screening Program established by Section 104315.
  (c) For the purposes of this chapter, "department" means the State Department of Health Care Services.
(a) The Prostate Cancer Screening Program shall be established in the State Department of Health Care Services.
  (b) The program shall apply to both of the following:
  (1) Uninsured men 50 years of age and older.
  (2) Uninsured men between 40 and 50 years of age who are at high risk for prostate cancer, upon the advice of a physician or upon the request of the patient.
  (c) For purposes of this chapter, "uninsured" means not covered by any of the following:
  (1) Medi-Cal.
  (2) Medicare.
  (3) A health care service plan contract or policy of disability insurance that covers screening for prostate cancer for men 50 years of age and older, and for men between 40 and 50 years of age who are at high risk for prostate cancer upon the advice of a physician or upon the request of the patient.
  (4) Any other form of health care coverage that covers screening for prostate cancer for men 50 years of age and older, and for men between 40 and 50 years of age who are at high risk for prostate cancer upon the advice of a physician or upon the request of the patient.
  (d) The program shall include all of the following:
  (1) Screening of men for prostate cancer as an early detection health care measure.
  (2) After screening, medical referral of screened men and services necessary for definitive diagnosis.
  (3) If a positive diagnosis is made, then assistance and advocacy shall be provided to help the person obtain necessary treatment.
  (4) Outreach and health education activities to ensure that uninsured men are aware of and appropriately utilize the services provided by the program.
  (e) Any entity funded by the program shall coordinate with other local providers of prostate cancer screening, diagnostic, followup, education, and advocacy services to avoid duplication of effort. Any entity funded by the program shall comply with any applicable state and federal standards regarding prostate cancer screening.
  (f) Administrative costs of the department shall not exceed 10 percent of the funds allocated to the program. Indirect costs of the entities funded by this program shall not exceed 12 percent. The department shall define "indirect costs" in accordance with applicable state and federal law.
  (g) Any entity funded by the program shall collect data and maintain records that are determined by the department to be necessary to facilitate the state department's ability to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the entities and the program. Commencing with the program's second year of operation, and notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department shall submit an annual report to the Legislature and any other appropriate entity. The report shall describe the activities and effectiveness of the program and shall include, but not be limited to, the following types of information regarding those served by the program:
  (1) The number.
  (2) The ethnic, geographic, and age breakdown.
  (3) The stages of presentation.
  (4) The diagnostic and treatment status.
  (h) The department or any entity funded by the program shall collect personal and medical information necessary to administer the program from any individual applying for services under the program. The information shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed other than for purposes directly connected with the administration of the program or except as otherwise provided by law or pursuant to prior written consent of the subject of the information.
  (i) The department or any entity funded by the program may disclose the confidential information to medical personnel and fiscal intermediaries of the state to the extent necessary to administer the program, and to other state public health agencies or medical researchers if the confidential information is necessary to carry out the duties of those agencies or researchers in the investigation, control, or surveillance of prostate cancer.
  (j) The department shall adopt regulations to implement the Prostate Cancer Screening Program in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
  (k) This section shall not be implemented unless and until funds are appropriated for this purpose in the annual Budget Act.
  (l) To implement the Prostate Cancer Screening Program, the department may contract, to the extent permitted by Section 19130 of the Government Code, with public and private entities, or utilize existing health care service provider enrollment and payment mechanisms, including the Medi-Cal program's fiscal intermediary. However, the Medi-Cal program's fiscal intermediary shall only be utilized if services provided under the program are specifically identified and reimbursed in a manner that does not claim federal financial reimbursement. Any contracts with, and the utilization of, the Medi-Cal program's fiscal intermediary shall not be subject to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12100) of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code. Contracts to implement the Prostate Cancer Screening Program entered into by the department with entities other than the Medi-Cal program's fiscal intermediary shall not be subject to Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code.