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Committee adopts cosponsor amendment for bill to reduce cost-sharing for breast diagnostic follow-up; wording to be clarified
Summary
Senator Lehi told the committee SB290 would require coverage for diagnostic follow-up after abnormal breast screenings; an amendment to add cosponsors was adopted, members pressed on deductible/co-payment language and coding definitions, and sponsors agreed to refine the draft before resuming consideration Thursday.
Senator Lehi, introducing Senate Bill 290 with support from Susan G. Komen, told the Insurance & Commerce Committee the bill would cover diagnostic tests that follow an abnormal breast screening so women do not forgo follow-up because of cost. "Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women," Lehi said, adding that in Arkansas "more than 2,000 women a year are diagnosed with breast cancer, and there's generally about 400 deaths."
Lehi said the bill aims to treat follow-up diagnostics as an essential health benefit similar to initial screenings and to address cost barriers that cause some women to skip needed diagnostic tests. He said the bill would not change current age thresholds for screening but would change cost-sharing obligations so a patient facing a recommended diagnostic would not be deterred by deductible or co-payment costs. The committee discussed concrete cost figures: the sponsor cited an average mammogram patient cost of about $234 and said a breast MRI can exceed $1,000.
Committee members pressed technical drafting questions. One member asked whether the bill's language that requires a 'health care insurer' to use specified coding could unintentionally exclude health maintenance organizations or other plan types; the sponsor said he would consult the Bureau of Legislative Research (BLR). Members also debated a provision that would make a breast ultrasound "not be subject to a deductible or any applicable co-payment," with concern that the provision might affect how providers collect payments. The amendment to add cosponsors was adopted by voice vote, and sponsors agreed to revise language and return to the committee Thursday for further review.
No recorded opposition was noted on the record, though staff reported a question from Melissa Rust at the University of Arkansas System seeking data on how often advanced diagnostics would be needed. The committee did not take a final vote on the bill itself and set further drafting discussions before the next meeting.
