NEWS RELEASE

Committee on Energy and Commerce
Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman

House Approves Breast Cancer Patient Protection Bill

Legislation Would End “Drive-Through” Mastectomies

Washington, D.C. – Today the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 758, the “Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act,” under suspension of the rules. The bill passed unanimously out of the Committee on Energy and Commerce on September 17, 2008.

“Despite ten years of objections from the insurance industry, today we passed legislation to ensure that breast cancer patients receive quality care and will not be forced to leave the hospital before it is medically safe to do so, “said Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and one of the bill’s original cosponsors. ”Guaranteeing that treatment decisions are made by medical providers and the patients they treat is the cornerstone of good medical care and an important part of what makes H.R. 758 a critical bill.”

The legislation, which was originally introduced by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) in the 105th Congress, would require health insurers to cover minimum lengths of stay for patients undergoing procedures to treat and diagnose breast cancer. Specifically, insurers would be required to pay for hospital stays of at least 48 hours in the case of mastectomies and lumpectomies and 24 hours in the case of lymph node dissection for the treatment of breast cancer. The bill would also provide for secondary consultations and ensure that women have access to the most medically appropriate treatment.

"Today the House took action on an important public health measure to protect breast cancer patients," said Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health. "By passing the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act, we are one step closer to providing better protection to women who suffer from breast cancer and putting an end to drive-through mastectomies."

For additional information on H.R. 758 or the September 17th markup, please visit the Committee on Energy and Commerce website at http://energyandcommerce.house.gov

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