Bill > SB1436

This bill requires health insurance carriers in Virginia to eliminate all cost sharing (such as copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles) for diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations, effective January 1, 2026. The bill specifically defines two types of breast examinations: diagnostic breast examinations, which are used to evaluate abnormalities detected during screening or by other means, and supplemental breast examinations, which are additional screenings based on personal or family medical history that may indicate increased breast cancer risk. These examinations can include diagnostic mammography, breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or breast ultrasound, and must be deemed medically necessary and appropriate according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines. The legislation applies to individual and group health insurance policies, subscription contracts, and health maintenance organization plans, with exceptions for short-term travel, accident-only, limited disease, or short-term nonrenewable policies lasting six months or less. By removing financial barriers to these important screenings, the bill aims to improve early detection and potential treatment of breast cancer.