From WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com … — The Senate today approved a bill that would require health insurance to cover secondary breast cancer screenings for women with dense breast tissue. Sen. Rachel Cabral-Guevara, R-Appleton, introduced SB 264 in memory of Gail Zeamer, who died of breast cancer. Cabral-Guevara on the Senate floor noted Zeamer died even after she went through multiple mammograms that gave her a clean bill of health. The mammograms failed to catch the cancer because Zeamer had dense breast tissue, Cabral-Guevara added. The measure would also require the Medical Assistance cover additional screenings. The Assembly has yet to take up the bill, but the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network plans to be at the Capitol tomorrow to urge lawmakers to pass the measure. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, also shared a story on the floor about how his wife had to go through two MRIs before doctors were able to identify breast cancer because of her dense breast tissue. Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, D-Madison, praised the measure as one that will surely save lives. The only member to vote against the measure was Sen. Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield. Kapenga did not immediately return a request for comment. — A new essay published by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation details how health care technology improves as GE HealthCare partners with university research. Written by Jason Polzin, general manager of GE HealthCare Global MR Applications Platform and Research Technologies, and Erik Iverson, CEO of WARF, the essay describes the partnership as one that translates “scientific breakthroughs into medical technologies that change lives.” They highlighted advances in MRI, CT scan and other technology as examples of improvements to come out of the partnership. The authors also noted UW-Madison’s Department of Medical Physics trains more medical physicists than any other institution in the world, and many of them go on to work at GE HealthCare. “This ongoing exchange of talent and ideas has helped sustain a culture of shared inquiry and technical rigor,” they wrote. “It’s a model where students, faculty and industry scientists work shoulder to shoulder—with WARF helping translate those collaborations into lasting impact.” See the release and a link to the essay here. Top Stories – California’s Health Insurance Marketplace Braces for Chaos as Shutdown Persists – Immigration crackdown sets off alarms in hospitals – Four GOP ideas for an Obamacare subsidies compromise Press Releases
