WASHINGTON, D.C. (WVDN) – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) on their bipartisan Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) Act. The legislation seeks to 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.
“We know that early detection and screening for breast cancer can saves lives. That’s why it’s essential that we eliminate financial barriers and make diagnostic testing as affordable and accessible as possible. I am proud to join Senator Shaheen and Senator Britt on the commonsense, bipartisan Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis Act,” Senator Capito said.
BACKGROUND:
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 an estimated 10% of 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 staggering 40.6% of 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 is estimated to be $234, while breast MRIs run patients an average of $1,021. Medical debt is associated with the majority of personal bankruptcies in the United States and even higher for cancer patients.
This 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.
