OKLAHOMA CITY — A bill that requires insurance companies to cover expenses of a basic exam vital to women’s health unanimously passed the Appropriations and Budget General Government Subcommittee, 8-0.
House Bill 3504, authored by Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, requires insurance companies to cover diagnostic mammograms when ordered by a physician.
The National Library of Medicine defines occult breast cancer as an axillary metastasis without a clinically or radiologically evident primary tumor.
“Mammograms save lives,” Provenzano said. “A diagnostic mammogram is ordered when an annual screening mammogram detects a possible concern. It is a much more precise test, and to ignore the recommendation for this test due to prohibitive cost is to ignore your health. The question before the Legislature and hopefully the governor is ‘should these pro-active, life-saving exams be fully covered under a basic insurance plan?’ I believe they should, which is what House Bill 3504 does.”
Mammograms identify 87 percent of women with cancer, according to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Additionally, breastcancer.org estimates that this year 287,850 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S.
“Diagnostic imaging is a critical step in the early detection of breast cancer. Texas and Arkansas have already addressed this vital step to ensure coverage is not a hurdle for access to this procedure,” said the bill’s Senate author, Sen. Brenda Stanley, in a release earlier this month. “With early detection, these exams can save lives by beginning the treatment process earlier. This isn’t a Republican or a Democrat issue its about doing what’s right for Oklahoma! It’s the right thing to do, it makes economic sense, and will result in better health outcomes for women across our state!”
To provide input on HB3504, contact Rep. Melissa Provenzano at (405)557-7330 or email melissa.provenzano@okhouse.gov.
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