Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Screening And Preventive Care topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances HB 12-83 on advanced breast imaging for state plan, sends bill to appropriations
Summary
The committee rejected a do-not-pass motion and later passed HB 12-83 on a roll-call vote, referring the measure to appropriations. Supporters said the measure removes cost barriers to advanced diagnostic imaging for state employees; opponents warned about unlimited carve-outs.
The House Industry, Business and Labor Committee voted to advance House Bill 12-83 and referred the bill to the Appropriations Committee after committee debate and a roll-call vote Tuesday.
Representative Mark Johnson moved the bill for a "do pass" recommendation; Representative Ruby moved a "do not pass" motion during debate, arguing that the bill could begin a pattern of narrowly carving coverage exceptions and that the committee should apply broader policy reasoning. Supporters, including Ben Hansen of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, said advanced diagnostic imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologies are not always covered under a 1989 mammography mandate and can cost patients hundreds or thousands of dollars; they argued that early detection reduces downstream treatment costs and saves lives.
The committee first considered Representative Ruby's motion for a do-not-pass recommendation; the clerk recorded "3 10 1 fails," indicating that the do-not-pass motion did not carry. Later, Representative Johnson's motion for a do-pass recommendation (with referral to Appropriations) passed on a roll call (clerk announced a result recorded in the transcript as "+1,031"). Representative Johnson confirmed his motion included referral to the Appropriations Committee.
During debate, members differed over scope. Representative Johnson said the measure as drafted applies only to state employees' plans, and he argued that covering advanced diagnostic testing for state plan members could save money by catching disease early. Representative Ruby and others expressed concern about opening the door to many condition-specific carve-outs and asked whether traditional mammography screening is already covered without cost-sharing; witness testimony and subsequent exchange with Ben Hansen accompanied the committee's effort to distinguish older mammography mandates from newer imaging techniques.
The committee recorded public- and expert-witness testimony from patient advocates and from members discussing plan scope and actuarial effects. Following the roll call the committee directed that the bill be referred to Appropriations; Representative Johnson agreed to carry the bill.
The committee did not place further amendments on the record at the hearing; proponents and opponents agreed additional actuarial and scope details would inform next steps.
