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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — On Tuesday, health care providers were at the State House urging Massachusetts lawmakers to expand insurance coverage for advanced breast cancer screening.
Health care providers told lawmakers that many woman are opting out of additional advanced mammogram screening because of steep out-of-pocket costs. Insurance pays for initial breast cancer screenings but not all insurance covers the cost of additional preventative screenings.
Senator Joan Lovely and Representative Ruth Balser said they are in support of the two bills to expand insurance coverage to cover digital breast tomosynthesis screening.
"But some insurance plans still are not covering tomosynthesis and it is just a superior screening for breast cancer," Senator Lovely said.
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She said the three-dimensional mammography is much more advanced than traditional mammogram technology. It is especially important in evaluating women with dense breast tissue who are at a higher risk of developing cancer.
Angelica Katz, the regional manager of state policy and advocacy with breast cancer foundation Susan G. Komen, said it is not uncommon for them to get calls from woman wanting to push off advanced screenings because of the high costs.
"Without assistance many will simply delay or forgo these medically necessary tests and this delay can mean that patients will not seek care until the cancer has spread making it much more deadlier and more costly to treat," Katz said.
She said when breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body it can be up to five times more expensive to treat.
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