Gov. Pat Quinn announced new efforts to fight breast cancer. This new initiative is a joint project between Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).

This initiative will improve access to mammograms and treatment through 3 pilot projects, according to the press release. The projects will test different approaches to assist women with breast cancer.

This new initiative will also create a new advisory panel called the Breast Cancer Quality Screening and Treatment Board. The goal of this board is to raise the quality of care for all women, focusing specifically on strategies to reduce the racial disparity in breast cancer mortality.

It will also include an increase in the Medicaid reimbursement rate beginning in 2011 for screening providers who commit to high-quality service and data sharing on detection rates with the Chicago Breast Cancer Quality Consortium, according to the press release.

Other ways this initiative will improve the treatment of breast cancer is expanding the use of digital mammography and identifying gaps in screening and diagnostic mammogram services throughout the state.