Momentum builds as Missouri becomes the 18th state to pass law bolstering breast imaging coverage
Momentum continues to build as Missouri recently became the 18th state to pass legislation bolstering insurance coverage for supplemental breast imaging.
It’s also the fifth local legislature to do so in 2023, following in the footsteps of Tennessee, Washington Maryland and New Mexico, according to the Susan G. Komen foundation. Signed into law by Gov. Mike Parson (R) on July 6, the bill eliminates out-of-pocket costs for diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging, including MRI, ultrasound and diagnostic mammography.
One recent study estimated that patients sometimes pay upward of $1,021 for a magnetic resonance imaging exam, often used on women who have a higher risk of developing the disease.
“Thousands of people in Missouri require diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging every year, yet many forego them because of the cost. Not anymore,” Molly Guthrie, VP of policy and advocacy at Susan G. Komen, said in a statement issued July 10. “This life-saving legislation means Missourians can now receive the breast imaging they require, leading to an earlier breast cancer diagnosis and often better health outcomes.”
Radiologist Amy K. Patel, MD, an assistant professor at the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine, also praised the bill ahead of its final approval.
“From a financial perspective, this is a huge victory for women. But also from a survival perspective, also amazing because we know when we can treat and find a breast cancer, when it’s millimetric, less than a centimeter, your survival probability is almost 100%,” Patel, also president of the American Association for Women in Radiology, told Missourinet.
The news comes after members of Congress introduced the Find It Early Act, which would require all public and private payers across the nation to cover supplemental breast imaging. RBMA leaders recently discussed this topic in an op-ed published by Radiology Business earlier this month.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.