H.R. 758 would require that health plans provide coverage for a minimum hospital stay for mastectomies, lumpectomies, and lymph node dissection for the treatment of breast cancer and coverage for secondary consultations.
Detailed Summary
Breast Cancer Patient Protect Action of 2007 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to require a group health plan or a health issuer offering group health insurance coverage that provides medical and surgical benefits to ensure that inpatient (and in the case of a lumpectomy, outpatient) coverage and radiation therapy are provided for breast cancer treatment. Prohibits such a plan or issuer from: (1) restricting benefits for any hospital length of stay to less than 48 hours in connection with a mastectomy or breast conserving surgery or 24 hours in connection with a lymph node dissection; or (2) requiring that a provider obtain authorization from the plan or issuer for prescribing any such length of stay.
Requires such a plan or issuer to: (1) provide notice to each participant and beneficiary regarding the coverage required under this Act; and (2) ensure that full coverage is provided for secondary consultations by specialists in the appropriate medical fields to confirm or refute a diagnosis of cancer.
Applies such requirements to health insurance issuers offering coverage in the individual market.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 5/21/2008: House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
Catherine Simon
Please do not let this bill languish in committee. I am respetfully requesting that it be brought up for thorough discussion and brought to the floor. Thank you.
Concerned
This bill needs to be passed now. Congress, let us know you can do something worthwhile besides earmarks and worhtless rebate checks that will not even help us!
Clurie Bennis
Surely this is a medical issue of great importance to women in their prime, and their families, NOT a political issue, and not one to be decided by commercial interests, but by Health and Welfare? Why not quickly?
Elizabeth L. Waller
I respectfully request that this bill be passed now. Please do not allow it to languish in committee again. Too many women must endure additional suffering. They have suffered enough.
Brenda McWhorter
I request that this bill be passed
now.These are your daughters mothers, wives,friends,girl friends,grandmothers that are calling out for your protection.
Ann Hall
Please pass this bill so that women, and their families, who are already traumatized by cancer, can receive a few inpatient days of professional healthcare prior to going back to their lives.
Pushing 60
Please EXPEDITE the passage of this bill in the interest of your mother, your wife (or yourself), your daughter(s)and all females requiring mastectomies. Why it has already taken this long is a disgrace to the aforementioned ladies in your life--it's a small gesture, but a worthwhile one. Thank you for your consideration.
Ann F. Schatzle
Please realize that this bill covers all insured Americans, not just women. Men can and do have breast cancer, as well. As a breast cancer survivor, I urge you to pass this bill. I had little assistance after my surgery. No one should have to endure that.
Marti Swanson
Please expedite the passage of this bill. Help to alleviate the suffering of your sisters, wives, daughters and mothers. Also, do not forget that men suffer from breast cancer, too. Please act quickly.
Sukie Knight
I know all about "bills never coming out of committee." Who serves on this committee where this bill is languishing now for nearly 19 months-time for any woman to create, incubate and deliver two children. If all the folks on the committee holding this bill hostage, thought of their mothers anbd sisters and grams and aunts and lady teachers, and listened and voted, then all of the 200,000 women who will get diagnosed with breast cancer this year, might have a chance at some rest and quality care IN A HOSPITAL while they ar healing from breast cancer surgery. All the 40,000 women WHOW WILL DIE THIS YEAR FROM BREAST CANCER MIGHT AT LEAST HAVE SOME COMFORT FOR A FEW DAYS FOLLOWING THIS PAINFUL SURGERY. For all and anyone, women and men reading this please get involved, write call email fax your congresspeople to get this bill out of committee now. And why is there only the name of ONE(1) woman on this bill in the house, Joann Davis who sponsored it. Where Are the rest of the women?
guess wh o
this system is such a joke, when you are limited to 1000 words. Who counts when they type in an "open" window?
If you want only 1000 words then limit the size of the window to accommodate only 100 words and what is the with the secret word to enter the mail once it is written. Is this the CIA of Bush or what.