This bill requires health care professionals to order bi-lateral ultrasounds concurrently with mammograms for patients, particularly targeting women aged 40 and older, as well as younger women with a family history of breast cancer or other risk factors. It mandates that insurers provide coverage for both the mammograms and the concurrent ultrasounds, ensuring that these diagnostic tests are accessible and financially supported. The bill includes specific provisions that require insurers to cover costs associated with additional testing, such as ultrasound evaluations, magnetic resonance imaging scans, and three-dimensional mammography, when ordered alongside a mammogram.

Furthermore, the bill amends existing laws to ensure that health maintenance organizations and the State Health Benefits Commission provide coverage for baseline mammograms and additional testing based on patients' risk factors. The new provisions specifically require that these additional tests be covered when ordered concurrently with a mammogram, thereby enhancing the diagnostic process for women at risk of breast cancer. The bill is set to take effect four months after its enactment, applying to all relevant contracts and policies issued or renewed thereafter.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 17:48-6, 17:48A-7, 17:48E-35.4, 17B:26-2.1, 17B:27-46.1, 17B:27A-7.10, 52:14-17.29