Maxwell Frost: “I am pleased to rise in recognition of the month of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year alone, 180,000…”

“I am pleased to rise in recognition of the month of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year alone, 180,000 women in this country will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Although there is no cure, the best way known to prevent breast cancer is through early diagnosis and treatment. Two bills have been introduced to combat breast cancer. House Resolution 135, the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act, guarantees that women who must undergo surgery for the treatment of breast cancer get the hospital stay they need and deserve. This legislation requires a woman to receive a minimum hospital stay of 48 hours for a mastectomy, and 24 hours for a lymph node removal. This will enable women and doctors to determine how long they need to stay in the hospital and not the insurance companies. The other bill is House Resolution 164, the Breast Surgery Benefits Act, which targets insurance coverage for breast reconstruction. It requires group and individual health insurance plans to provide coverage for reconstructive breast surgery if they provide coverage for mastectomies. This bill will protect many of the mastectomy patients that are denied coverage for breast reconstruction each year. Breast cancer is a serious problem facing every woman in the United States today. I believe that breast cancer deserves more attention and that is why I am a cosponsor of both of these bills.”