Representative Jill Novak (D-Oregon) secured a vote for Assembly Bill 1022 (AB 1022) in the Wisconsin State Assembly on Tuesday, February 20. This bill, which passed the Assembly and now moves to the State Senate, aims to expand access to diagnostic breast imaging for Wisconsin residents by requiring insurers to cover these necessary follow-up procedures. The legislative effort addresses a critical gap in current healthcare coverage for breast cancer screening follow-ups.
Under existing Wisconsin law, insurers are mandated to cover screening mammograms but are not required to cover diagnostic breast imaging, which includes diagnostic mammograms, ultrasounds, or MRIs. This lack of coverage creates significant out-of-pocket costs for women who receive abnormal screening results or have other risk factors like dense breast tissue or a family history of breast cancer. Such costs often lead to delays or avoidance of critical diagnostic follow-up care. Rep. Novak emphasized, 'No woman should have to choose between putting food on the table and getting necessary care for a potential cancer diagnosis.'
AB 1022 received bipartisan support, with co-sponsors including Rep. Joy Goeben (R-Hobart) and Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R-Appleton). The passage of this bill through the Assembly represents a significant step towards ensuring that all Wisconsin women can access timely diagnostic imaging, irrespective of their financial situation. Simultaneously, the Assembly also passed AB 1021, another bill championed by Rep. Novak, which expands postpartum BadgerCare coverage.
