MONTGOMERY — State Rep. Frances Holk-Jones (R-Foley) celebrated the House passage of a bill on Tuesday that would expand screening access for breast cancer.
House Bill 300 (HB300) would eliminate deductibles, copayments or coinsurance charges for mammograms or diagnostic imaging of abnormalities.
"One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime," Holk-Jones told 1819 News. "Chances are, everyone reading this knows someone who this disease has personally touched. Doctors have told us repeatedly that early detection gives us the best chance of survival. That's why my bill HB300 - to expand screening access is not just important, it is critical."
Holk-Jones announced she has been cancer-free since December. She said that is why this bill is important to her and others who know all too well the life-saving measures necessary to survive breast cancer.
"Making breast cancer screening available without out-of-pocket costs means all women have the right to preventative care that may save their lives," Holk-Jones added. "This means mothers, grandmothers, wives, and daughters who may have otherwise succumbed to this terrible disease will live and join the more than four million breast cancer survivors currently in the United States."
In Alabama, health insurers are required to cover mammograms for women aged 40 and older. Insurers subject to the Affordable Care Act already cover mammograms for women over 40 at no cost to the patient. The bill would require all insurers to comply.
HB300 will now be sent to the Senate.
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