Collins, Klobuchar Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Promote Mammograms, Preventive Health Care Services
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced bipartisan legislation to promote the use of preventive health care services, like physicals, mammograms and other cancer screenings, and routine examinations.
Studies have found that more than one in three adults reported delaying or forgoing health care because of coronavirus-related concerns. Other statistics show that the odds that a woman received a breast cancer screening were 20 percent lower in 2020 compared to 2019, and during the early months of the pandemic, health screenings for children decreased in frequency by 40 percent.
“Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant decrease in routine medical visits. These procedures, screenings, and immunizations are not only crucial to the wellbeing of individuals and families, but they can also help reduce Americans’ overall health care costs,” said Senator Collins. “Our bipartisan bill would strengthen education and outreach initiatives, particularly in rural and underserved communities, to encourage people to visit their medical providers and receive their regular check-ups.”
“As more than one in three adults reported delaying or forgoing health care during the pandemic, we must take action to make sure people are getting the preventive care they need. This bill would help us do this by launching a grant program, public health campaign, and task force to encourage the use of preventive care services,” said Senator Klobuchar. “Following my breast cancer diagnosis earlier this year, this issue is personal to me. While I was fortunate to have caught the cancer at an early stage, that is not the case for many. As a result of delays in care due to the pandemic, doctors continue to see patients who have developed more serious conditions that could have been caught earlier. With this legislation, we have an opportunity to save lives.”
The Preventive Care Awareness Act would:
- Award grants to states, territories, localities, and Tribal organizations to increase appropriate utilization and decrease disparities in preventive care services;
- Establish a task force to develop recommendations addressing preventive care access during the coronavirus pandemic and future public health emergencies; and
- Direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to undertake a coordinated, focused public health education campaign to enhance access to preventive services, in collaboration with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Surgeon General, and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
In addition to Senators Collins and Klobuchar, the bill was co-sponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Thune (R-SD), and Tina Smith (D-MN).
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Senator Collins has been a longstanding advocate for preventative health care services. Earlier this month, she co-sponsored the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act, bipartisan legislation that would give metastatic breast cancer patients access to support and medical care years sooner than current law allows. In July, she introduced the MAMMO for Veterans Act, a bipartisan bill to expand access to breast cancer screening and life-saving care for veterans. In May, she announced that the State of Maine received more than $1.9 million to support cancer prevention programs.
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