WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo (R-2nd) on Thursday, Sept. 25 praised House passage of H.R. 758, the “Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act”, which would require health plans to provide coverage for a minimum hospital stay for women who undergo mastectomies and lumph node dissection during their treatment of breast cancer.
Introduced by Representative Rosa DeLauro (CONN-03), the legislation also mandates insurance companies to cover secondary consultations sought by women.
“Nearly everyone knows a family member, friend or coworker whose life has been affected by breast cancer. The physical and emotional strain on women with breast cancer is significant and, accordingly, must be treated as such by insurance companies and doctors. This bipartisan legislation will help to ensure breast cancer patients have adequate time to recover from their medical treatment,” stated LoBiondo, an original cosponsor of H.R. 758 in a release.
For more than a decade LoBiondo has introduced or been an original cosponsor of similar legislation that would end the practice of “drive-by mastectomies.”
With 222 cosponsors, H.R. 758 is endorsed by the American Cancer Society and the National Breast Cancer Coalition. In April 2008, LoBiondo was honored by NBCC with a Certificate of Excellence for his perfect record of supporting their legislative priorities in the first session of the 110th Congress.
“As National Breast Cancer Awareness Month begins, it is completely appropriate for the House to pass this critical legislation to protect the health and promote the full recovery of women with breast cancer,” concluded LoBiondo.
