DENVER -- There's an effort in Colorado gaining momentum to bring more attention to breast cancer. It's called the Komen Community Challenge.

It's widely believed that women who are poor, under insured or not insured at all -- fall victim to a sometimes fatal flaw in the breast cancer screening process.

Some women in Colorado are often denied medical coverage if they are diagnosed at the wrong clinic.

Medicaid will pay for treatment, but only if a woman is diagnosed at a clinic in Colorado that is contracted with the government. Clinics that are called, ‘Women's Wellness Connection Contracted Providers’.

If the clinic does not belong to that connection, women are denied treatment.

It's a glitch in the system the Susan G. Komen alliance calls shameful.

"If you do not have insurance or you are under insured and you do not walk-in to get a screening from someone who has a contract with Women's Wellness Connection, and you are diagnosed, you are denied Medicaid coverage," said Jill Adams with Susan G. Komen For The Cure.

Debra Plotkin of Colorado Springs is a 7-year breast cancer survivor and an advocate for women of all economic backgrounds.

"You need help. You just need help sometimes," said Plotkin.

State Representative Dianne Primavera of House District 33 also understands the battle. “This month it will be 20 years since I was diagnosed. And when I was diagnosed, I was told I wouldn't live 5 years," said Primavera.

"And I know the struggle that women go through when they're fighting the disease. I struggled and I had insurance."

Now these women are fighting for those who are still falling through the cracks. "Women who are uninsured are 60% more likely to die within 5 years from the disease than their insured counterparts," said Adams.

Even though the Race For The Cure brings incredible exposure to breast cancer awareness, there is a major treatment gap in Colorado.

"The glitch is they have to be diagnosed at a certain site, in order to receive treatment and the Medicaid benefit," said Primavera. "It's because of my insurance and because of my great medical care and my supportive family and friends that I was able to survive it. Everyone deserves that."

"You never know when you're going to get cancer,” said Plotkin. "No one has a cancer fund."

Every state decides itself how to administer this program. Colorado is thought to be one of the most restrictive.

This group hopes to change the program without taking legislative action.