Congresswoman Maxine Waters Introduces Legislation to Enhance Breast Cancer Patients’ Access to Information and Treatment
Two-Bill Package Improves Access to Quality Care and Ensures Patients are Informed about Their Options
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, introduced the Medicaid Breast Cancer Access to Treatment Act (H.R.4543) and the Medicare Breast Reconstruction Access and Information Act (H.R.4545) in the House of Representatives yesterday.
Congresswoman Waters has been a longtime advocate for breast cancer patients. While serving in the California State Assembly in 1978, she introduced and fought successfully to pass AB 3548, which requires insurance companies to cover reconstructive surgery or prosthetic devices for women who have undergone mastectomies. Her continuing commitment to breast health equity is the impetus for these two new bills to ensure that all women with breast cancer have access to quality treatment services and are well informed about their treatment and recovery options.
"I am deeply concerned about the tragic and unacceptable disparities related to breast cancer," said Congresswoman Waters. "That is why I introduced the Medicaid Breast Cancer Access to Treatment Act, which requires state Medicaid programs throughout the United States to cover breast and cervical cancer treatment services for low-income patients without cost sharing. The bill also requires state Medicaid programs to cover breast reconstruction following a medically necessary mastectomy.”
"I have also heard from breast cancer survivors in my district and across the country who were not fully informed about their breast reconstruction options prior to undergoing a mastectomy," said Congresswoman Waters. "The Medicare Breast Reconstruction Access and Information Act addresses this issue by requiring doctors who perform mastectomies for Medicare patients to inform them that Medicare covers breast reconstruction following a medically necessary mastectomy. Patients who receive thorough information are more likely to make informed decisions that align with their individual preferences, leading to greater satisfaction and an improved quality of life following surgery."
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women in the United States (except for skin cancers), accounting for about 30 percent of cancer diagnoses among women each year. While breast cancer death rates are down 44 percent since the 1980’s as a result of improvements in awareness, screening, and treatment, breast cancer still remains the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women (after lung cancer), and there are persistent disparities in access to care and treatment. For example, black women have the highest death rate from breast cancer and are 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than non-Hispanic white women. Furthermore, many breast cancer patients are unaware of the full scope of breast reconstruction options available to them prior to undergoing a mastectomy, and many low-income patients have no access to breast reconstruction services.
“Together, these two bills will help ensure that all breast cancer patients have access to quality breast cancer treatment and breast reconstruction services,” said Congresswoman Waters.
The Medicaid Breast Cancer Access to Treatment Act (H.R.4543) is cosponsored by Representatives Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jim Costa (CA-21), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Hank Johnson (GA-04), George Latimer (NY-16), Summer L. Lee (PA-12), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Gwen S. Moore (WI-04), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).
The Medicare Breast Reconstruction Access and Information Act (H.R.4545) is cosponsored by Representatives Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Hank Johnson (GA-04), George Latimer (NY-16), Summer L. Lee (PA-12), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).