Vacaville Reporter speaks out about SB 94 and AB 629 - 10/17/07

Here is an excellent editorial from the Vacaville Reporter on how the Governor's signing SB 94 and AB 629 will help reduce the number of sexually transmitted infections that have recently been growing amongst teens.

Eye-opening accuracy
New legislation may address STD rates
Vacaville Reporter
Article Launched: 10/16/2007 07:56:18 AM PDT

The figures are astounding: Nearly a quarter of Solano County's high school and college age residents may have suffered new cases of sexually transmitted diseases in 2005, according to a study released last week by the California Public Health Institute.

Researchers were quick to point out that the figures don't necessarily represent any increase in disease rates - just more accurate calculations.

By applying the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's new method of calculating STD rates to California and its counties, researchers estimated that 20.6 percent of the state's 15- to 24-year-olds suffered more than 1.1 million new infections that year - more than 10 times higher than previously believed. The cases represent a lifetime treatment cost of $1 billion.
The new calculations showed that in Solano County, the 15,440 STD cases were equivalent to 23.8 percent of the young population. Lifetime treatments costs were estimated at $13 million.

The study focused on eight major STDs: chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, genital herpes, HPV, hepatitis B, trichomoniasis and HIV. Health care providers are required to report to the state some diseases, such as HIV. Others, such as HPV, or human papillomavirus, which may account for more than half of the estimated cases in the new report, are not subject to mandatory reporting. Hence the need to find better ways to estimate their frequency.

Researchers hope that developing a more realistic outlook on the frequency of STDs might result in more practical measures to detect, treat and prevent their spread.

It is fitting, then, that among the bills signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger this past weekend were two that could have some effect on this problem.

Senate Bill 94 will increase the amount that MediCal pays to providers of family planning services - services that include identifying and treating STDs. The additional $24 million going to those providers may bring up to $64 million in additional federal funds to the clinics, enabling them to resume services that have been cut in recent years as they struggled to make do on a reimbursement rate that hadn't changed since 1985. To his credit, Solano's own state Sen. Michael Machado helped push this bill through the Legislature.

Assembly Bill 629, the "Sexual Health Education Accountability Act," requires that sex education in all public schools be comprehensive, medically accurate and age appropriate. Accurate education has helped California make good progress in reducing the teenage pregnancy rate. Perhaps more attention on STDs in the curriculum can help slow their spread.

Unfortunately, the governor chose to veto Assembly Bill 1429, a measure carried by Solano County Assemblywoman Noreen Evans that would have required most insurance companies to cover the costs of vaccinating women against HPV, which can lead to cervical cancer. The vaccine is essential to reducing future rates of HPV.

In a signing statement attached to the veto, the governor said: "While I support increased access to preventive services, I cannot support this bill as it may contribute to rising premiums. Further, a mandate is not necessary as this vaccine is already routinely provided by health plans and insurers. Mandating its coverage is unnecessary, restrictive and may increase costs." It's questionable reasoning, though. If health care providers are already providing this vaccine, then there should be no increase in costs.

Still, two out of three isn't bad. And with a better picture of the STD situation among young people, coupled with funds and mandates to address it, perhaps California can reduce the infection rate.