Sen. Katie Britt Reintroduces Legislation for No-Cost Diagnostic Breast Cancer Tests
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt, R-Ala., has reintroduced bipartisan legislation aimed at eliminating out-of-pocket expenses for crucial diagnostic breast cancer tests through the Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) Act. The proposed law seeks to prohibit health insurers from imposing any cost-sharing fees for essential diagnostic tools, including 3D mammograms, MRIs, and ultrasounds.
Currently, while insurance providers must cover routine breast cancer screenings without copays, they are not obliged to do the same for diagnostic tests, which can range from $234 to $1,041. The advocacy group Susan G. Komen has endorsed the ABCD Act, which targets enhanced access to timely diagnoses for women facing the disease. Senator Britt remarked, “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."
Britt is joined by Senator Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, in leading this initiative, with a companion bill also introduced in the House, garnering bipartisan support. The legislation comes amid stark statistics, as approximately one in eight women in Alabama alone will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during their lifetime, with projections for over 316,000 new cases across the nation this year.
Molly Guthrie, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at Susan G. Komen, highlighted the bill’s significance, stating it would remove financial barriers to necessary diagnostic breast imaging, ensuring patients can access needed care without the burden of unexpected costs.
This initiative marks a continuation of Britt’s efforts from the last Congress, reinforcing the urgent need for accessible healthcare for women facing breast cancer.
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