Committee passes bill to bar out-of-pocket costs for breast cancer screening and diagnostics

Representative Rose presented House Bill 1309 to the House Insurance & Commerce Committee, saying the bill would ensure full coverage for breast cancer screenings and diagnostic follow-ups by prohibiting copays, deductibles and coinsurance for mammograms, breast ultrasounds and diagnostic MRIs related to breast cancer detection.

Nut graf: Sponsors said the bill is a narrowly focused fix intended to prevent cost-shifting that followed last session's elimination of copays for mammograms. The measure applies only to breast cancer screenings and related diagnostics and does not expand coverage beyond that narrow scope.

Representative Rose said last session’s elimination of copays for mammograms led insurers to shift costs to coinsurance, creating a new out-of-pocket burden. “This bill closes that loophole ensuring that women can access breast cancer screenings and diagnostic follow ups without out of pocket costs,” Rose said. She described the screenings as preventive and said early detection “literally saves lives.”

No outside witnesses spoke for or against the bill during the hearing. The committee moved to a voice vote on Representative Rose’s motion to pass the bill; the transcript records the motion and a voice vote in favor and the bill passed.

The bill’s sponsor emphasized the measure’s limited scope — it applies to breast-cancer-related screenings and diagnostics only — and invited committee questions; none were recorded. Committee members did not discuss amendments or fiscal impacts on the record during this portion of the meeting.

Representative Rose closed by asking for the committee’s favorable vote; the committee approved the bill by voice vote.