AN ACT CONCERNING COST-SHARING FOR MAMMOGRAMS AND BREAST ULTRASOUNDS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 38a-503 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2018):

(a) (1) Each individual health insurance policy providing coverage of the type specified in subdivisions (1), (2), (4), (10), (11) and (12) of section 38a-469 delivered, issued for delivery, renewed, amended or continued in this state shall provide benefits for mammographic examinations to any woman covered under the policy that are at least equal to the following minimum requirements: (A) A baseline mammogram, which may be provided by breast tomosynthesis at the option of the woman covered under the policy, for any woman who is thirty-five to thirty-nine years of age, inclusive; and (B) a mammogram, which may be provided by breast tomosynthesis at the option of the woman covered under the policy, every year for any woman who is forty years of age or older.

(2) Such policy shall provide additional benefits for:

(A) Comprehensive ultrasound [screening] examinations of an entire breast or breasts if a mammogram demonstrates heterogeneous or dense breast tissue based on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System established by the American College of Radiology or if a woman is believed to be at increased risk for breast cancer due to family history or prior personal history of breast cancer, positive genetic testing or other indications as determined by a woman's physician or advanced practice registered nurse; and

(B) Magnetic resonance imaging of an entire breast or breasts in accordance with guidelines established by the American Cancer Society.

[(b) Benefits under this section shall be subject to any policy provisions that apply to other services covered by such policy, except that no such policy shall impose a copayment that exceeds a maximum of twenty dollars for an ultrasound screening under subparagraph (A) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section.]

(b) No such policy shall impose a copayment or deductible for an in-network mammogram or comprehensive ultrasound examination under subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Each mammography report provided to a patient shall include information about breast density, based on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System established by the American College of Radiology. Where applicable, such report shall include the following notice: "If your mammogram demonstrates that you have dense breast tissue, which could hide small abnormalities, you might benefit from supplementary screening tests, which can include a breast ultrasound [screening] examination or a breast MRI examination, or both, depending on your individual risk factors. A report of your mammography results, which contains information about your breast density, has been sent to your physician's office and you should contact your physician if you have any questions or concerns about this report.".

Sec. 2. Section 38a-530 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2018):

(a) (1) Each group health insurance policy providing coverage of the type specified in subdivisions (1), (2), (4), (11) and (12) of section 38a-469 delivered, issued for delivery, renewed, amended or continued in this state shall provide benefits for mammographic examinations to any woman covered under the policy that are at least equal to the following minimum requirements: (A) A baseline mammogram, which may be provided by breast tomosynthesis at the option of the woman covered under the policy, for any woman who is thirty-five to thirty-nine years of age, inclusive; and (B) a mammogram, which may be provided by breast tomosynthesis at the option of the woman covered under the policy, every year for any woman who is forty years of age or older.

(2) Such policy shall provide additional benefits for:

(A) Comprehensive ultrasound [screening] examinations of an entire breast or breasts if a mammogram demonstrates heterogeneous or dense breast tissue based on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System established by the American College of Radiology or if a woman is believed to be at increased risk for breast cancer due to family history or prior personal history of breast cancer, positive genetic testing or other indications as determined by a woman's physician or advanced practice registered nurse; and

(B) Magnetic resonance imaging of an entire breast or breasts in accordance with guidelines established by the American Cancer Society.

[(b) Benefits under this section shall be subject to any policy provisions that apply to other services covered by such policy, except that no such policy shall impose a copayment that exceeds a maximum of twenty dollars for an ultrasound screening under subparagraph (A) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section.]

(b) No such policy shall impose a copayment or deductible for an in-network mammogram or a comprehensive ultrasound examination under subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Each mammography report provided to a patient shall include information about breast density, based on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System established by the American College of Radiology. Where applicable, such report shall include the following notice: "If your mammogram demonstrates that you have dense breast tissue, which could hide small abnormalities, you might benefit from supplementary screening tests, which can include a breast ultrasound [screening] examination or a breast MRI examination, or both, depending on your individual risk factors. A report of your mammography results, which contains information about your breast density, has been sent to your physician's office and you should contact your physician if you have any questions or concerns about this report.".

Statement of Purpose:

To prohibit certain health insurance policies from imposing a copayment or deductible on mammograms and breast ultrasounds.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]