The VBCF-led diagnostic breast imaging coverage bill, HR 1243, was “tabled” by the House Commerce and Energy Committee, thus ending consideration for this General Assembly Session.
While the details are complicated (dealing with prohibiting additions to Virginia’s essential health benefits package), our bill and a group of similar insurance benefits-related bills were found to be in conflict with another Virginia law passed in 2020, and therefore had to be tabled. Our bill patron, Delegate Delores McQuinn (D-70th) was as surprised and disappointed by this outcome as we were. Her office is investigating other ways to move forward- i.e. requesting a formal study on this issue as a first step, etc.
VBCF knows that expensive out-of-pocket costs for diagnostic imaging (diagnostic mammography, ultrasound, and MRI) can be a huge barrier to timely breast cancer diagnosis and treatment and needs to be addressed. VBCF will continue to explore all options for how to tackle this problem and we can still use your help.
Please share your story with VBCF. Have you had to pay expensive out-of-pocket costs for a follow-up mammogram, ultrasound, or other diagnostic procedure? Did you choose to postpone the procedure or struggle to cover the cost? We want to hear about your experience. Click here or contact Kirsta Millar, Policy Manager at kirsta@vbcf.org
