Madison… Today, Governor Tony Evers signed Gail’s Law (Senate Bill 264), which Representative Patrick Snyder was a lead co-sponsor of., to requires Medical Assistance and health insurance policies and plans to cover supplemental breast screenings (such as MRIs and ultrasounds) in addition traditional mammograms. This comes just one day after Governor Evers signed Senate Bill 23, which Rep. Snyder was the lead author of, to extend Medical Assistance coverage from 60 days to a full year for postpartum women.
Representative Patrick Snyder said:
“I made a promise to make Wisconsin a great place to raise families and these important bills strengthen families by providing uninterrupted health care coverage to mothers managing pregnancy-related medical complications and by ensuring women have access to comprehensive preventative breast cancer screenings. We are moving forward to ensure the mothers in our communities get the care they deserve.”
From 2020 to 2022, there were 63 pregnancy-related deaths in the state of Wisconsin 33% of which occurred after the 60-day postpartum period currently covered by BadgerCare in Wisconsin. 76% of those who died had Medicaid coverage during their delivery and for the first 60 days following the birth of their child. A majority of these deaths were due to mental health conditions, substance use disorder, cardiovascular conditions and hypertensive disorders.
SB 23 supports new mothers who are already eligible for BadgerCare with uninterrupted health care coverage for an additional 10-months after birth, aligning her coverage with her baby’s coverage, for the full 12-month postpartum period. Uninterrupted health care coverage is important in not only managing pregnancy-related medical complications, but also to maintain critical access to mental health providers for treating postpartum depression, a prescription drug benefit, breastfeeding support, and substance use disorder treatment and providers.
Gail’s Law, which requires Medical Assistance and health insurance policies and plans to cover supplemental breast screenings (such as MRIs and ultrasounds) as well as traditional mammograms – which are already required to be covered by insurance providers. For women with dense breast tissue, routine mammograms have resulted in delayed diagnosis, sometimes not until later stages of breast cancer.
Forty percent of Wisconsin women have dense breast tissue. This means nearly half the women in this state are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer and experiencing a delayed diagnosis. Mammograms alone are not sufficient to detect breast cancer at an early stage. Detecting cancer at the earliest possible stage is critical. A diagnosis at Stage I or II may mean three or four rounds of chemotherapy, compared to eight or nine rounds at Stage III. Breast cancer takes a toll on quality of life and reduces precious time with family. When cancer is diagnosed early, patient outcomes improve, and individuals are able to return to their normal lives more quickly.
Representative Snyder concluded:
“I am so proud to sit here today knowing that Wisconsin a healthier, safer place for our mothers and children. I will always fight for women and families in Wisconsin”
