During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Illinois Office of Comptroller (IOC) is working to bring greater attention to women's health care and cancer prevention efforts with the addition of a new webpage highlighting how much the state spends on the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program. The program provides free mammograms, breast exams, pelvic exams and pap smears for eligible women, in most cases women who don’t have insurance or whose insurance doesn't cover these screenings.
"My office prioritizes transparency, and our efforts focus on making sure taxpayers know how their money is being spent," said Comptroller Mendoza. "There is no doubt programs designed to catch and treat breast and cervical cancer in its earliest stages are a great investment."
The IOC's webpage provides up-to-date expenditures on the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program and includes the per-patient cost of the program as reported by the Illinois Department of Public Health through the IOC's Public Accountability Report. The annual report allows taxpayers and policymakers to track the progress and performance of hundreds of state programs in a transparent manner. A web-based portal, the Public Accountability Report, includes more than 20 years of vital data.
Over the past four years, to date, Illinois has invested more than $46 million in breast and cervical cancer screenings and education.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), detecting breast and cervical cancer early on helps reduce the cost of treatment and increases a patient’s chances of survival.
"This is a data set the state should be proud of, and a clear return on investment for Illinois taxpayers," said Comptroller Mendoza.
To visit the IOC's Breast and Cervical Cancer Screenings website, go to: https://Illinoiscomptroller.gov/IBCCPdata. For additional data about this and other state programs, visit the IOC’s Public Accountability Report at par.illinoiscomptroller.gov. You can learn more about the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program here.
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