[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16130-16131]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 25, 2011

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate October as 
Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year, we have good reason to 
celebrate. Thanks to important changes to the law in the last 5 years, 
it has never been easier to receive the valuable preventative care that 
is vital to preventing and treating breast cancer.
  Thanks to the passage of the Affordable Care Act, a mammogram is now 
one of the free annual preventive services covered by Medicare. Already 
4 million women have taken advantage of that benefit this year.
  For Medicare beneficiaries, a free Annual Wellness Visit means that 
you can discuss your personal risk for breast cancer with your doctor, 
and receive free preventative screening based upon the decision you and 
your doctor make together.
  In addition, more and more insurance plans are providing free 
screening services of their own.

[[Page 16131]]

  Finally, genetic testing for risk of breast cancer is available, with 
the legal guarantee that such testing will not result in discrimination 
against a woman. I fought for 13 years to pass the Genetic Information 
Non-Discrimination Act (GINA) so that anyone could choose to find out 
their genetic disposition for illness, without fear of discrimination. 
Since GINA became law, no health insurer can raise an individual's 
rates and no employer can make hiring or firing decisions based on 
genetic information.
  Unfortunately, even though a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer 
every two minutes in the United States, screening rates for this 
dangerous disease are declining. A recent study found that out of 1.5 
million women over the age of 40 with health insurance, less than half 
had received the recommended annual screening.
  As we celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it's important that 
all women know that affordable screening options are available.
  Screening tests can find breast cancer early, when it is most 
treatable. They are the best way to lower the risk of dying from breast 
cancer. The 5-year survival rate for breast cancer caught early is 98 
percent, compared to 23 percent when it is not.
  I encourage women to take care of themselves in every possible way, 
and to make a renewed commitment to following the recommended screening 
guidelines for breast cancer. Together, we can take the important steps 
necessary to win the fight against breast cancer.

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