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Colorado Lawmakers Look to Ensure Women's Right to Breast Cancer Screenings

Wednesday, April 14 2010

KDVR FOX 31
By: Eli Stokols
April 14th, 2010

DENVER - Colorado women will soon be able to count on their health insurance covering annual mammogram screenings starting at age 40, after the Senate's initial passage of a bill that will be heading next to Gov. Bill Ritter's desk.

House Bill 1252 is a response to last year's change in CDC guidelines regarding cancer screenings, which recommended women begin getting annual examinations starting at age 50, 10 years later than the existing recommendation of beginning screenings at age 40.

"We are winning the battle against breast cancer," said Dr. Ray Mencini, a radiologist at Advanced Medical Imaging in Denver. "This would be a giant step backward because it would put millions of women at greater risk."

Mencini is among the doctors who fought hard for the passage of HB 1252, which, after being amended Tuesday, will guarantee, once it's signed into law, that Colorado women can get annual mammograms starting at age 40.

"This locks us in," said Sen. Betty Boyd, D-Lakewood. "Now the status quo cannot change."

For Boyd, and House co-sponsor, Rep. Diane Primavera, D-Broomfield, herself a breast cancer survivor, this legislation has served as another reminder about the importance of annual screenings and breast cancer awareness. After passing the Senate on a voice vote Tuesday, it is likely to actually save women's lives by enabling them to detect breast cancer at an early stage.

"That will save people's lives," said Dr. Kevin Woolley, a radiologist and partner of Mencini. "There are a certain number of cancers that are found in women between the ages of 40 and 50. If women aren't coming in during that interval, there are a certain number of cancers that would be missed."