Find It Early Act
Volpara believes all women with dense breast tissue should not just be informed, but also have equal and affordable access to technologies that enable early detection of breast cancer, regardless of socio-economic status. That is why we strongly endorse the Find It Early Act (H.R. 9595), requiring insurance coverage with no cost sharing for medically necessary breast cancer imaging beyond screening mammograms (e.g., breast ultrasound, breast MRI, and diagnostic mammography).
“We need to continue advocating for accessible and affordable healthcare, so that no woman is left behind when it comes to following up on necessary testing. A key part of that is the Find It Early Act. Let’s work towards a future where every woman has the resources and support she needs to prioritize her well-being. It’s the right thing to do.”
– Teri Thomas, Volpara CEO
The Issue
Insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs for additional screenings are barriers for many women with dense breast tissue. This is especially true in the states where there are no laws that require insurance coverage for screenings beyond mammograms for higher-risk women.
- Mammograms are about 85% effective at detecting breast cancer
- For women with dense tissue, mammograms are only 56% effective
- When mammograms are combined with ultrasounds in women with dense breast tissue, cancers are found 88% of the time
This is a major, lifesaving difference.
The Policy Solution
The nationwide law for density inform did not address insurance coverage for additional lifesaving screenings. Only 23 states plus the District of Columbia currently mandate coverage at the state level.
The Find It Early Act is a federal bill introduced to help ensure all health insurance plans cover screening and diagnostic breast imaging without out-of-pocket costs for women with dense breasts or those at higher risk for breast cancer.
Volpara is donating 5% of the profits from all sales of its Volpara Scorecard™ breast density assessment software to DenseBreast-Info for the next twelve months to support their advocacy.
