Insurance Coverage and the Breast Density Bill By Dr. Peter Leando 17 states have passed a breast density bill, requiring insurance to pay for additional testing, either ultrasound MRI or thermography (only) in the event of a radiology report of breast density that makes mammography less affective. (It is now mandatory for radiologists in those states to inform patients when their breasts are radiographically dense) Breast density is judged by the percentage of fibroglandular tissue that is in the breast, (which is normally made up of mostly fat tissue). As breast density increases, the risk of developing breast cancer increases, while the sensitivity of mammography decreases. Mammographic sensitivity decreases by as much as 16 percent for dense breasts, and 40 percent of women will have dense breasts at some point in their lives. Consequently, current guidelines (e.g. NCCN) suggest that additional screening such as ultrasound or MRI should be considered for some women with dense breasts. It has been reported that the insurance providers in the states that have passed the bill then respond by setting a very low reimbursement for thermography. .
Posted on: Wed, 25 Jun 2014 01:46:44 +0000
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