Contact: Cullen Werwie, 608-267-7303
Madison—Today Governor Scott Walker praised the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) for voting fifteen to one to restore funding to the Wisconsin well woman program (http://WWWP), which provides breast cancer and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services to uninsured or underinsured women who are at or below 250% of the federal poverty line. Restoration of this funding was made at the request of Governor Walker through his budget errata letter to the JFC.
In 2009-10 http://WWWP served 8,869 women and the screenings resulted in 73 diagnoses of breast cancer and 10 diagnoses of cervical cancer. 28% of the women served by the program are between the ages of 35 and 49, 70% are between 50 and 64, and 2% are 65 or older.
“I applaud the Joint Finance Committee for taking the action I requested on this important program,” said Governor Walker. “I will continue to work with the Legislature to ensure the final version of the budget protects core government services without increasing taxes.”
Due to a technical oversight in the original budget bill, action was needed by the Legislature to carry out the Governor’s intent for funding the WPPP. Attached is a copy of the Governor’s budget errata letter to the JFC.
