The Senate on Tuesday gave final passage to a bill that would require insurance companies to cover a new cervical-cancer vaccine.
House Bill 1301, which passed the Senate 25-9, also directs the health department to establish an education campaign about the sexually transmitted human papilloma virus, which causes an estimated 70 percent of cervical-cancer cases.
“This will enable underinsured families to have access to this vaccine if they choose,” said Sen. Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora, who sponsored the bill with Democratic Reps. Dianne Primavera of Broomfield and Bernie Buescher of Grand Junction.
“It is a great success that cervical cancer is now a preventable disease. We must make sure that all women in our state have access to the vaccine.”
The bill now goes back to the House for approval of Senate changes.
Williams also had sponsored a separate bill this session that would have required Colorado school girls to get the vaccine by age 12.
While that bill had the support of the state Department of Public Health and Environment and many doctors, it – like others around the country – fell victim in part to a national backlash against strong lobbying by the vaccine’s manufacturer, Merck & Co.
Conservatives also opposed the bill, saying it would move vaccination policy from one that protects children from communicable diseases into areas of adult choices. They also argued it would encourage sexual promiscuity in teenagers.
Capitol bureau chief Jeri Clausing can be reached at 303-954-1555 or jclausing@ denverpost.com.
