In a significant move for healthcare in Massachusetts, Governor Maura Healey has signed into law a bill expanding breast cancer screening coverage. An Act Relative to Medically Necessary Breast Screenings and Exams for Equity and Early Detection aims to make these crucial screenings more affordable and accessible, according to details shared by theMassachus etts Governmentwebsite. The legislation prohibits any increase in patient cost-sharing starting from 2026 and mandates insurers to cover breast cancer diagnostic exams, including digital breast tomosynthesis and MRI screenings.
“This legislation will help ensure that cost is not a barrier for women to get the screenings and care they need,” Governor Healey said, acknowledging the collective effort from the Legislature, advocates, and patients in a statement obtained by theMassachusetts Governmentwebsite. Joining the affirmations, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll spoke about the essential nature of preventative care in saving lives and its impact on improving cancer outcomes due to the new law.
The bill was championed by several legislators who echoed the significance of early detection and the mandate’s ability to remove financial hurdles. Senate President Karen E. Spilka expressed gratification for the Governor’s signature and thanked her own cohorts, particularly Senator Lovely and Senator Rush, for steering this initiative. “Today we tear down a barrier to accessing breast cancer screenings and empower our residents to stay ahead of a cancer that takes far too many lives,” Spilka told theMassachusetts Governmentwebsite.
Others weighed in on the bill’s potential for reducing disparities and improving health outcomes, including Senator Joan Lovely, who has advocated for nearly a decade for accessible breast cancer screenings. Early detection of breast cancer saves lives. This legislation makes those diagnostic exams used for early detection accessible and affordable, giving women the vital resources needed to catch breast cancer in its earliest stages,” Senator Lovely said, grateful to Governor Healey for signing the bill into law, as theMassachusetts Governmentwebsite reports. These efforts align with Massachusetts s commitment to high quality, equitable, and accessible healthcare for women.
Healthcare leaders and organizations have highly praised the legislation. Benjamin L. Ebert, MD, PhD, president and CEO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, called the legislation an important victory for patients. Meredith Mendelson, Executive Director of the Ellie Fund, emphasized the impact on Black women, who are more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage of breast cancer, highlighting the law’s potential in addressing racial health equity gaps in breast cancer outcomes. “The expanded coverage from this new law will enable more women to have their breast cancer diagnosed at earlier stages when it is easier to treat,” Mendelson remarked, as per the samesource.
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