A bill aimed at removing financial barriers to imaging that can rule out breast cancer or confirm the need for a biopsy is moving forward in the Nevada Legislature.
Senate Bill 330 is Nevada’s version of legislation that’s already been passed in eight states, including Texas and New York, and is being considered in 23 other states this session.
SB 330 was passed unanimously in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committe Friday morning.
If passed, SB330 would eliminate out-of-pocket costs for diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging (such as an MRI, ultrasound, diagnostic mammogram) when medically necessary.
Senate Assistant Majority Leader and bill sponsor Roberta Lange said the bill isn’t just about eliminating out-of-pocket costs for imaging. It’s about increasing access to imaging and timely diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.
“Nevadans deserve the access to the latest breast cancer screening and diagnostics to find breast cancers early when they’re easiest and least costly to treat,” Lange said. “We know that high out-of-pocket costs for necessary imaging lead many to delay or skip it altogether, risking later diagnosis of a breast cancer and increased costs for treatment if a cancer is present. Not only are costs higher, but patient also risks the cancer metastasizing and further health complications without access to imaging for timely diagnosis and treatment.”
An estimated 16% of people who receive annual screening mammograms nationwide get called back for diagnostic imaging. Additionally, these tests are often recommended for those who have previously been diagnosed with breast cancer and for some individuals who are considered at high risk for breast cancer.
The National Cancer Institute found that breast cancer has the highest treatment cost of any cancer, including the highest patient out-of-pocket costs, with costs increasing by stage at diagnosis. While costing the patient more, late-stage breast cancer diagnosis increases costs and demand on the health care system as a whole.
You can read the full bill here: SB330 Text (state.nv.us)
(Nevada Cancer Coalition)
