Shaheen, Britt Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Make Breast Cancer Diagnostic Tests More Affordable and Accessible

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Katie Britt (R-AL) are introducing the bipartisanAccess to Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) Actto make breast cancer diagnostic tests more affordable and accessible by eliminating copays and other out-of-pocket expenses for these tests, which are often necessary to receive a formal diagnosis. The bipartisanABCD Actis also backed by U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).
"Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis is difficult enough – families across the country shouldn't have to also worry about whether they can even afford the tests necessary to reach such a diagnosis, which can sometimes be the difference between life and death,"said Senator Shaheen."Breast cancer—and the countless challenges that come with it—knows no geographic borders nor political affiliation. Let's put politics aside and pass our bipartisan bill that could help save so many lives."
“The ABCD Act would provide greater access to mammography so women can be diagnosed as soon as possible, giving them the widest variety of treatment options and the best chance to defeat this disease,”said Senator Britt.“Mammograms are a crucial, potentially lifesaving tool to detect breast cancer, and this commonsense, bipartisan legislation would ensure that a warranted follow-up diagnostic examination is also covered by health insurers at no out-of-pocket cost to the patient. I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation along with Senator Shaheen.”
“For far too many, needed breast imaging and access to a timely diagnosis are still out of reach due to high out-of-pocket expenses, leaving patients forced to decide between their health and their finances,”said Molly Guthrie, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at Susan G. Komen.“The Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis Act will remove the financial barrier to diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging so that individuals can get the care they need without having to endure undue financial burden. We grateful to Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Katie Britt and Representatives Debbie Dingell and Brian Fitzpatrick for their leadership on this vital legislation.”
Current law requires insurance companies to provide no-copay coverage for breast cancer screenings, but that does not extend to the diagnostic testing including mammograms, MRIs, and ultrasounds, that are necessary in many cases as anestimated ten percentof screening mammograms require follow-up diagnostic testing.
The costs of those tests discourage many women from getting them, risking cancer progression that increases both the severity of the disease and the financial toll for treatment. A staggering40.6 percentof women said the possibility of paying a deductible could lead them to skip additional, often necessary imaging.
The standard out-of-pocket cost of a diagnostic mammogram isestimatedto be $234, while breast MRIs run patients an average of $1,021. Medical debt is associated with themajority of personal bankruptciesin the United States and even higher for cancer patients.
Shaheen and Britt's bipartisan bill would eliminate financial barriers to ensure women who are recommended for additional imaging can do so without fear of going into debt. The bill is endorsed by the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
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