January 3, 2013

M E M O R A N D U M

SUBJECT: Co-sponsorship of Legislation – Breast Density Screening Notification and
Screening Insurance Coverage

TO: All House Members

FROM: Representative Karen Boback
Room 141-B, East Wing


In the near future, I plan to introduce two pieces of legislation to address breast density in breast cancer screening. These will be companion bills to SB 1332 and 1333 of the 2011/2012 legislative session. Senator Mensch will be re-introducing these bills in the near future. This legislation is supported by the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition.

Dense breast tissue complicates early detection of breast cancer. Women who have extremely dense breast tissue are at a four to six times greater risk of developing breast cancer.

Mammogram films of breasts with higher density are harder to read and interpret than those of less dense breasts. Breast density is one of the strongest predictors of the failure of mammography screening to detect cancer, with a mammogram missing at least 40% of tumors in women with the densest breasts. Both cancer and density appear white on a mammogram so detecting tumors is much more difficult in denser breasts without further screening provided by an ultrasound or an MRI.

While about 40 percent of women who get mammograms have dense breasts, almost 95% of women are unaware of their own breast density according to a recent poll. There is no established protocol of informing women about breast density even if their density is high and most are unaware of their breast density even after a mammogram. Younger women are more at risk since about 50 percent of woman under 50 years of age have dense breast.

The first bill will require mammography facilities certified by the Food and Drug Administration to provide patients with information regarding their breast density including recommendations to contact the referring physician should the patient have questions or wish to discuss the report.

The second bill is an amendment to the Insurance Company Law of 192. The will extend mandated insurance coverage to ultrasound screening and magnetic resonance imaging if a mammogram demonstrates heterogeneous or dense breast tissue based on the Breast Imagining Reporting and Data System established by the American College of Radiology. It will also extend coverage to women who are believed to be at increased risk for breast cancer due to family history or prior personal history of breast cancer, positive genetic testing or other indications as deemed medically necessary by the woman’s physician.

I hope you will join me in co-sponsoring this legislation. Thank you for your interest and support.

KB:brz