By Bob Katzen
The Senate approved and sent to the House a bill that would require health insurance companies to provide coverage for diagnostic examinations for breast cancer, digital breast tomosynthesis screening and medically necessary and appropriate screening with breast magnetic resonance imaging.
Supporters noted that although access to routine preventive screening mammograms is currently covered under the Affordable Care Act, this legislation would go further and require coverage for certain screenings and exams currently not uniformly covered by law.
“I am grateful to see this legislation, which I have worked on for nearly a decade, move forward,” said sponsor Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem). “Early detection of breast cancer saves lives. This legislation makes those diagnostic exams used for early detection accessible and affordable, giving women the vital resources needed to catch breast cancer in its earliest stages. With this bill we are bolstering the commonwealth’s commitment to providing higher quality, more equitable and more accessible healthcare for women.”
“We know that in the fight against cancer, early detection is absolutely vital for the long-term success of the patients,” said Sen. Michael Rush (D-Boston). “We also know that for one out of every ten women, initial mammogram screenings are not sufficient to detect possible indicators of breast cancer. This legislation passed by the Senate … ensures that all women in the commonwealth have access to the digital breast tomosynthesis and MRI screening they need to catch cancer early without facing financial barriers.”