Tracie Davis bill expanding Medicaid coverage for mammograms passes first committee

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. 11/8/23-Sen. Tracie Davis, D-Jacksonville, talks about the recent shootings near Edward Waters University as the Senate debated CS/HB 7-C a bill providing grant funding to improve security for at-risk schools, churches, museums and community centers, Wednesday at the Capitol in Tallahassee. The Senate passed the House version of the bill and it now moves to the governor for approval. COLIN HACKLEY PHOTO

A Democrat-led push to expand Medicaid coverage for mammograms and breast cancer screenings has advanced through its first Senate committee stop.

The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee approved the legislation (SB 1578) filed by Sen. Tracie Davis, a Jacksonville Democrat.

“Breast cancer is the second-most common cancer in women, affecting 1 in 3 new female patients in a year,” Davis said during Tuesday’s hearing. “Five to 10% of all breast cancer causes are hereditary, and the risk of diagnosis doubles if a member of your family, your immediate family, has had breast cancer already.”

If passed, her bill would require the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to cover mammograms and supplemental breast cancer screenings in Medicaid for women who are as young as age 25. Current law permits “baseline mammogram” once a year for women who are at least 35 years old and under 40 years old.

The bill would also expand Medicaid coverage for women between the ages of 40 to 50 years to get a mammogram annually instead of every two years.

AHCA would need to get federal approval to make the changes.

Davis said her bill would have a minimal impact on AHCA because the Florida Medicaid program already covers mammograms and supplemental breast cancer screenings.

The Senate committee hearing garnered no debate or opposition.

The bill has also been referred to the Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee and the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee.

A similar House version (HB 187) has not been called to a vote at a committee hearing yet.

Davis’ bill is one of several pieces of legislation this Session aiming to expand women’s health care and help early detection in the fight against breast cancer.

A bill from Sen. Lori Berman (SB 158) would waive additional copays, deductibles and other cost-sharing requirements if patients need to get follow-up appointments for breast cancer exams. Berman’s bill was placed on the calendar for a second reading following last week’s Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, where it passed unanimously.