Legislation

State Insurance Bill
There is a new state insurance bill to cover expanded breast imaging in Massachusetts (H1286).

New: Global Patterns and Trends in Breast Cancer Incidence and Mortality
The global burden of breast cancer was recently estimated across 185 countries in the Globocan 2022 and other databases.¹

• Breast cancer was the first or second most commonly diagnosed cancer in 183 of 185 countries, and among the top two causes of cancer-related deaths in 169 countries.
• In 2022, there were 2.3 million new cases worldwide and 670,000 deaths, numbers that are expected to grow to 3.2 and 1.1 million respectively by 2050 (increases of 38 and 68% respectively).

Importantly, rates vary significantly across regions, with higher mortality rates disproportionately observed in low-income countries due to disparities in early detection and treatment. In particular, incidence and mortality of women younger than 50 years is higher among low income countries.²

 ¹ Ten-year trends in incidence from 50 countries in the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents plus database were analyzed as were 10-year trends in mortality from 46 countries in the World Health Organization database.
² Almost half (47%) of new breast cancers in Africa occur in women younger than age 50, compared to only about 20% in North America, Europe, and Oceania. Women younger than age 50 represent 41% of breast cancer deaths in Africa compared to 8% in Europe.

Four new state insurance bills for expanded breast imaging coverage were introduced this week:

• Arizona HB2561
• Connecticut SB00757
• Utah HB0314
• Virginia SB2133

State Insurance Law
Alaska is the latest state to enact a law that requires insurers to cover expanded breast imaging. Visit the DBI Insurance/Inform Laws tab for updated maps and new insurance table.

National Density Inform Standard (finally)
On Tuesday, September 10, the FDA’s requirement to provide patients with one of two standardized letters (“dense” or “not dense”) after their mammograms goes into effect. More information, including how to contact the FDA with questions, is available HERE.

State Insurance Law Amendment
Illinois has amended its insurance law for expanded breast imaging.  MBI will now be included (effective 1/1/26), please see DBI’s legislation MAP for details.

Research Analysis
An analysis of “real-world” experience with supplemental abbreviated MRI (AB-MRI) screening in women with dense breasts and average breast cancer risk was conducted by senior author and DBI Advisory Board Member Emily Conant, MD and colleagues. The cancer detection rate for baseline AB-MRI exams was higher than for subsequent exams, however the difference was not significant. [1]

• As expected, for exams with one-year follow-up, the false-positive rate decreased with subsequent exams compared to baseline exams. [2]
• All cancers detected with baseline or subsequent AB-MRI exams were stage 0 or 1, and there were no symptomatic interval cancers.
• The results support the effectiveness AB-MRI for supplemental screening in women with dense breasts at otherwise average breast cancer risk and suggest that adding screening MRI every two years may be sufficient, though further study is warranted.

1. The cancer detection rate for baseline vs. subsequent AB-MRI exams was 18.9 per 1000 (38/2007) vs. 12.1per 1000 (7/278) respectively (P=.37).
2. The false positive rate decreased from 7.7% (116/1497) for baseline exams to 2.8% (10/359) for subsequent exams (P<.001).

USPSTF Guidelines / Editorial by Dr. Wendie Berg
The United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) has released a Task Force Recommendation Statement for breast screening.  DBI’s Chief Scientific Advisor, Dr Wendie Berg, was invited to respond in an editorial on the key advances and opportunities to enhance breast screening guidelines moving forward: USPSTF Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Do Not Go Far Enough. [See DBI announcement for a summary of details.]

U.S. State Insurance Laws
Two new states, Iowa and Vermont, have enacted insurance laws for expanded breast imaging coverage after a mammogram.

• Full details by state HERE
• Insurance map visual HERE

The World’s Leading Resource on Dense Breasts, Now Leads the Fight for the Find It Early Act
DBI had a full schedule on Capitol Hill last week meeting with key Congressional members. The federal bill would ensure all health insurance plans cover screening and diagnostic imaging with no out-of-pocket costs for women with dense breasts or higher risk for breast cancer. WE NEED YOU TO TAKE ACTION. Please share your perspective/examples of denials for coverage for supplemental imaging, resulting delayed screening, unexpected insurance costs, etc., with your congressperson. FYI, congressional members have made it clear that personal direct reach outs are much more effective than petitions. Please contact your congressperson and ask for them to support the bill, learn how HERE.

Patient Density Request Forms
Women out of the U.S. have asked for a resource to request their breast density after their mammograms. DBI features 5 versions of a Patient Density Request Form for specific health systems, the newest version in Arabic.

Density Request forms are available as free downloads:

• Arabic
• England and Wales
• Northern Ireland
• Republic of Ireland
• Scotland