HARRISBURG – Building on Pennsylvania’s landmark law that provides no-cost breast cancer screenings for high-risk individuals, Sen. Lisa Baker (R-20) announced that the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee has unanimously advanced legislation to expand coverage for diagnostic screenings.
Senate Bill 88 would allow an individual who finds an abnormality on a supplemental screening, which is currently covered by state law, to also receive a diagnostic screening at no cost. The bill also expands the number of supplemental screenings available.
“Early detection saves lives, and cost should never be a barrier to that. Senate Bill 88 builds on the progress we’ve made and corrects a serious gap in coverage, ensuring that both high-risk and average-risk individuals can access the diagnostic tools they need without delay or financial hardship,” Baker said. “This is a responsible, bipartisan step forward in the fight against breast cancer.”
Pennsylvania led the nation as the first state to eliminate cost-sharing for high-risk individuals receiving supplemental breast cancer screenings like MRIs and ultrasounds. After the passage of Act 1 of 2023, 26 other states followed that example. However, Pennsylvania now stands alone as the only one of those states that does not require no-cost coverage for diagnostic breast imaging.
Senate Bill 88 addresses this gap. It also ensures coverage not just for high-risk individuals, but also for those at average risk of developing breast cancer. By aligning state law with federal guidance from the Health Resources and Services Administration, the legislation would expand access to lifesaving early detection tools – without cost-sharing – for thousands of Pennsylvanians.
The legislation is supported by the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition and the American Cancer Society, and it is not opposed by insurers. It now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
View Baker’s remarks on the bill here.
CONTACT: Jennifer Wilson