House Republican Press Release

April 24, 2006

Press Office: 860-240-8700

D’Amelio Votes for Breast Cancer Screening Bill

HARTFORD – Representative Tony D’Amelio (R-Waterbury) today voted in favor of a bill before the state House of Representatives that changes when health insurance policies must provide coverage for a comprehensive ultrasound screening of an entire breast or breasts for a woman.

Under current law, a policy must provide coverage if a physician recommends the screening for a woman classified as category 2, 3, 4, or 5 on the American College of Radiology's Breast Imaging Reporting and Database System (BI-RADS) mammogram reading scale. The bill instead requires coverage if a mammogram shows heterogeneous or dense breast tissue based on BI-RADS or a woman is considered at an increased risk of breast cancer because of her family history or her own prior breast cancer history, or other indications determined by her physician.

The bill was amended in the senate to allow an advanced-practice registered nurse to determine if a woman is at an increased risk of breast cancer.

Under current state law, health insurance policies must provide coverage for mammograms in an initial examination for women ages 35 to 39 and one examination every year for women age 40 and older. That coverage is subject to any policy provisions applicable to other covered services.

“This is an expansion on the coverage measures we passed last year, and is a critical step toward assuring proper screening of women who are at an elevated risk of breast cancer,” said D’Amelio, who is Ranking Member of the legislature’s Insurance and Real Estate Committee.  “Early detection is critical in cases of breast cancer, and this bill makes that early detection easier.”

The bill previously passed the state Senate on April 18^th, and will now head to Governor M. Jodi Rell for her signature.