From WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com …
— Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara today pushed back against concerns of government overreach during a public hearing on a bill that would require insurers to cover additional breast cancer screenings.
SB 264 would require insurers and the Medical Assistance program to cover additional screenings such as 3D mammograms, ultrasounds and MRI scans for women with dense breast tissue because normal mammograms often don’t catch breast cancer.
Sen. Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield, was the sole “no” vote as the legislation cleared the Senate 32-1 yesterday.
Kapenga told WisPolitics he understands the “financial pain” patients face when forced to pay out of pocket for treatments, such as additional breast cancer screenings.
But he said he voted against the measure because government mandates are “a major driver behind the skyrocketing health care costs that are hurting nearly all families across Wisconsin.”
“The insurance company should ultimately make the decision on which screenings to cover,” he added. “If there is a market demand, they will do it. But using the power of government to override free market forces—or interfere in the doctor/patient health discussion—not only contributes to a higher cost of living for everyone, it also violates the principles of limited government and Constitutional restraint.”
Bill author Cabral-Guevara, R-Appleton, during today’s Assembly Health, Aging and Long-Term Care Committee hearing pushed back on that concern. She said she also generally doesn’t support government mandates on businesses.
“The reason I say this is important, and the reason why I push for this, is because if we are going to say we are offering a service, it can’t be for 60%, only, of the women,” she said, referring to the fact that roughly 40% of women in Wisconsin have dense breast tissue.
She also argued covering late stage cancer treatment is likely more expensive for insurance companies than the cost of covering additional breast cancer screenings.
The American Cancer Society also today visited the Capitol to bring light to the issue and work to convince lawmakers to pass Gail’s Law, named after Gail Zeamer, who died of breast cancer after several mammograms gave her a clean bill of health.
Tammy Brown, of Janesville, was part of the group of volunteers with ACS. She told WisPolitics she was fortunate enough to be able to pay $1,000 out of pocket in 2023 for an additional screening after a mammogram identified an area of concern, which turned out to be breast cancer.
“Putting off the health care that would enable early cancer intervention, when it can cost less for treatment and be less disruptive to a woman’s life is not a choice that any woman should have to make…ever,” she wrote. “This bill will save lives and ensure cost is not a barrier to early detection. My lawmakers were supportive today, but we need all lawmakers to turn this bill into law.”
Watch the hearing here.
— Sen. Jesse James praised a bill to provide a $10 million grant to Rogers Behavioral Health to build a new integrated mental health facility in the Chippewa Valley.
“This bill is no less than the most significant win for mental health in the Chippewa Valley, and our state, for that matter,” the Thorp Republican said.
The new facility, which James said is expected to open in 2027, includes a crisis stabilization unit, residential treatment center, partial hospitalization/intensive outpatient program, and supportive living to provide adolescents and adults with a full continuum of care for mental health issues, according to the Department of Health Services’ fiscal estimate.
The funding was originally set aside in the most recent state budget, but SB 388 creates an appropriation from which DHS can distribute the money.
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