Screening Support

Early breast cancer detection—when it’s still localized and small—is critical for successful treatment, which is why access to regular and diagnostic screenings is vital for women.

While most insurance companies cover the cost of annual screenings for women, many are left with high out-of-pocket costs if they need advanced diagnostic imaging like an ultrasound or MRI. New legislation is expected to change that moving forward. Earlier this spring, the State Legislature advanced proposals—championed by Representative Gina Curry and Senator Frank Farry—that would require health insurance companies to cover follow up diagnostic breast exams without passing costs onto patients.

“In the fight against cancer, there is a lot that we don’t know, but we do know that early detection equips and empowers patients with knowledge about their disease, which can—and very often does—save their lives,” says Donna Kemberling, breast cancer survivor and volunteer with the American Cancer Survivor Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). “It was lifesaving in my case. Diagnostic breast imaging plays a critical role in the early detection screening process for breast cancer and, until now, patients in Pennsylvania have been forced to pay out of pocket for this follow-up care, leading many to skip or delay the screening. No one’s mother, daughter, sister or friend should face that choice.”

To follow the status of the bill, visit fightcancer.org. “My fellow ACS CAN volunteers and I are glad that this bill is generating so much support,” Kemberling says. “We are hopeful that cost-sharing for diagnostic follow-up breast imaging for many women will be eliminated. Cost should never be the reason a Pennsylvanian misses out on getting screened.”