Rep. Nadler Reintroduces Mammogram and MRI Availability Act Share on Facebook Share on X Print this Page Share by Email Washington, DC, February 11, 2009 Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) reintroduced the Mammogram and MRI Availability Act, an important women’s health initiative which would require insurance companies that cover diagnostic mammograms to also cover annual screening mammograms for women 40 and older, and MRI screenings for high-risk women. While annual screening mammograms, which are used to detect tumors that cannot be felt manually, are already covered under Medicare and Medicaid, many private insurers currently cover only diagnostic mammograms, the type of mammography used to confirm the presence of a tumor only after it has been detected. “Today in the United States, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for women, and it is the leading cause of cancer death for women between the ages of 40 and 49,” said Rep. Nadler. “We now have the technology and resources to ensure that all at-risk women are regularly screened, which will greatly improve chances for early detection and treatment. The fact that many private insurers still refuse to cover basic screening mammography is reprehensible. This bill would ensure that cost is never a factor in deciding whether to get a mammogram.” The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has recommended that women 40 and older should have a mammogram once every one or two years. A landmark NCI study from 2005 affirmed that mammograms contributed to a pronounced drop in the number of breast cancer deaths, effectively putting to rest the debate about the efficacy of mammography. Experts also agree that the decision whether to have a mammogram should be made by doctors and patients, depending on family history and other risk factors – and not on the basis of cost. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2008 alone, 40,480 women in the U.S. died from breast cancer and more than 182,460 new cases of the disease were discovered. While breast cancer is often treatable, early detection is critical to preventing the rapid spread of this deadly disease and beginning effective treatment.