DeGette Hails Colorado's Performance In New Smoking Report

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep.Diana DeGette (D-CO), Vice Chair of the Committee on Energy andCommerce, applauded Colorado's performance in a new American LungAssociation report, Helping Smokers Quit: State Cessation Coverage, released yesterday. Colorado is a leader in requiring all basic employer health plans to cover preventive services.

"This timely report by the American Lung Association provides ablueprint for how to save lives by helping people quit tobacco—theleading cause of preventable death in the U.S.," said DeGette. "Tobaccocessation treatments are highly cost-effective, but many motivatedindividuals who are struggling to quit cannot get access to them. Iapplaud Colorado for its leadership on tobacco cessation. We are one ofjust eight states that require all basic employer health plans to coverpreventive services, including cessation services."

Rep. DeGette introduced legislation during the 110th Congress, the Quit Smoking for Life Act of 2008,that would save lives by providing coverage for tobacco cessationtreatments under our nation's major public health insurance programs,Medicare and Medicaid.

"The Federal Government should be supporting state efforts by coveringtobacco cessation treatment under our public health insurance programs.And that is my goal with the legislation I have introduced and willcontinue to move forward in the next Congress," concluded DeGette.

The American Lung Association report assesses what the states are currently doing to help smokers quit.