WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., reintroduced bipartisan legislation to remove out-of-pocket expenses for diagnostic breast cancer tests.
The Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) Act would prohibit health insurers from imposing cost-sharing requirements for 3D mammograms, MRIs and ultrasounds used to diagnose breast cancer. Under current law, health insurers are required to provide no-copay coverage for breast cancer screenings, but not diagnostic tests.
“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,” Britt said in a statement.
The advocacy group Susan G. Komen, which endorsed the legislation, estimates that diagnostic tests can cost between $234 and $1,041. The nonprofit estimated there will be more than 316,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer this year.
Britt is leading the bill alongside Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH. Companion legislation has also been introduced in the House with bipartisan support.
“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,” Britt said.
In Alabama, one in eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during their lifetime, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama, including about 4,500 women in 2023.
“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,” Molly Guthrie, vice president of policy and advocacy at Susan G. Komen, said in a statement.
Britt also introduced the bill last Congress.