Dr. Catherine Cubbin, associate professor at the School of Social Work, authored the op-ed piece “GOP war on women’s health means less access to cancer screenings,” published in today’s Austin-American Statesman (subscription required).
In the piece, Cubbin explains that the recent closure of dozens of family planning clinics across Texas means less access to breast cancer preventive care for women–an often overlooked fact, breast cancer prevention screenings in these clinics far outnumbered abortion services.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among Texas women, affecting more than 100 women every 100,000 in the state.
“Survival depends on how early the cancer is detected through regular mammogram screenings,” Cubbin writes. “Texas has the largest percentage of people without health insurance in the U.S. This translates to about 6 million uninsured Texans or 25 percent of all Texans. Women without health insurance in Texas rural areas face many obstacles to receiving a mammogram. For them, access is key.”
Cubbin argues that the state government should reverse last year’s anti-abortion legislation, before more clinics close their doors. She also urges the state to utilize the Medicaid expansion option under the Affordable Care Act to cover more than a million Texans with no affordable health insurance options.