[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 21, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S5020]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mrs. Blackburn, and Mrs. 
        Shaheen):
  S. 2412. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to 
protect coverage for screening mammography, and for other purposes; to 
the Committee on Finance.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the 
bipartisan ``Protecting Access to Lifesaving Screenings Act,'' which 
would protect access to annual mammograms by ensuring breast cancer 
screenings are covered through insurance for women starting at age 40.
  With the exception of skin cancers, breast cancer continues to be the 
most common cancer in American women and second leading cause of cancer 
death in women behind lung cancer. According to the American Cancer 
Society, in 2021, about 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer 
will be diagnosed in women and about 43,600 women will die from breast 
cancer.
  Fortunately, we're seeing the death rate for breast cancer go down 
with a decrease of 1 percent per year from 2013 to 2018. According to 
the American Cancer Society, this has been largely credited to earlier 
diagnosis of breast cancer through screening and patient awareness, in 
addition to improvements that have been achieved in breast cancer 
treatments.
  Mammography has been the best test we have at finding breast cancer 
early, providing a better chance of survival after diagnosis. According 
to the Kaiser Family Foundation, women with insurance coverage are more 
likely to report having had a mammogram in the past two years compared 
to uninsured women. But while regular breast cancer screenings have 
helped tremendously in the early detection of breast cancer, health 
insurance coverage of these screenings for women in their forties is at 
risk.
  While leading medical groups, including the American College of 
Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Cancer Society, and the 
American College of Radiology support women having no-cost access to 
breast cancer screenings starting at age 40, the actual decision of 
coverage is typically determined using recommendations by an 
independent volunteer panel known as the U.S. Preventive Services Task 
Force (USPSTF).
  Unfortunately, when USPSTF updated its breast screening guidelines in 
2015 to recommend that women should start mammography screenings at age 
50, health coverage without cost sharing was put in jeopardy for women 
in their 40s.
  The ``Protecting Access to Lifesaving Screenings Act'' was first 
introduced shortly thereafter to postpone these recommendations that 
would have limited coverage for breast cancer screening. Congress has 
subsequently acted to extend this moratorium several times since then, 
most recently passing an extension in December 2020 that is set to 
expire January 1, 2023.
  The benefits of screenings are clear, and we need to ensure that 
women in their forties continue to have coverage for, and access to, 
these screenings. To that end, we are reintroducing the ``Protecting 
Access to Lifesaving Screening Act'' to further protect access to 
mammography screenings that are covered at no cost to patients ages 40-
49. If passed, the current moratorium on USPSTF breast cancer screening 
guidelines would be extended through 2028.
  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 
total number of breast cancer screening tests received by women through 
CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program 
declined by 87% during April 2020 as compared with the previous 5-year 
averages for that month. This decline is attributed to reduced routine 
medical visits due to COVID-19. Consequences of these prolonged delays 
in screening include delayed diagnoses, poor health consequences, and 
an increase in cancer disparities among women already experiencing 
health inequities. Further removing barriers to screening by ensuring 
patients are covered at no cost will be crucial as the public begins to 
resume routine preventive health services.
  I am honored to be joined by Senators Blackburn and Shaheen in 
introducing this legislation. I am also very grateful for supporters of 
this bill, including the American College of Obstetricians and 
Gynecologists, American College of Radiology, American Women Unite for 
Breast Cancer Screening, Black Women's Health Imperative, Breast Care 
of Washington, Check for a Lump, DenseBreast-Info, FORCE: Facing Our 
Risk of Cancer Empowered, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Men Supporting 
Women With Cancer, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in 
Women's Health, National Black Nurses Association, National Consortium 
of Breast Centers, National Hispanic Medical Association, National 
Medical Association, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Servicewomen's Action 
Network, Sharsheret, Society of Breast Imaging, Society of Breast 
Imaging, Susan G. Komen and the Tigerlily Foundation.
  I urge my colleagues to join us in protecting access to lifesaving 
screenings by supporting the passage of this bill.
  Thank you Mr. President, and I yield the floor.
                                 ______