Time is running out to ensure care for breast cancer patients
during this Congress, says National Breast Cancer Coalition
WASHINGTON, Sept. 11,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Along with more than 100
other organizations, Breast Cancer Over Time joins the National
Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) in urging Congress to pass the
Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act (H.R. 549, S. 663;
MBCACA) now and give metastatic breast cancer patients immediate
access to the benefits they paid for and deserve.
"My life is ending. I don't have two
years."
"Time is running out to pass the MBCACA this Congress," said
NBCC President Fran Visco. "As we
get closer to 290 cosponsors in the House of Representatives, it is
clear this bill has garnered the bipartisan momentum and support it
needs to pass. What is Congress waiting for?"
This year, an estimated
42,250 women and 530 men in the US will die of
breast cancer. Almost all these deaths—90 percent—are because of
metastatic disease: cancer that has spread from the breast to the
bones, lungs, or other parts of the body. There is no cure. The
life expectancy of those diagnosed with metastatic disease is, on
average, 3 years.
Those with metastatic breast cancer are entitled to Medicare
coverage and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). But
current policies require them to wait to receive these benefits—5
months for SSDI and 24 months for Medicare—time they do not
have.
["My life is ending. I don't have two years." Hear from those
affected by the waiting periods the MBCACA would waive.]
The MBCACA would waive these lengthy and arbitrary waiting
periods and ensure these people get the benefits they earned.
Waiving waiting periods would help protect metastatic patients and
their families from the significant financial, physical, and
emotional distress many experience, from threats of eviction to
delayed diagnosis and treatment.
With 257 cosponsors in the House and 29 in the Senate to date,
the bill has garnered more bipartisan support than 99 percent of
bills introduced during this Congress. The MBCACA was recently
endorsed by the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, with lead
cosponsor Representative Andrew
Garbarino (R-NY-02) touting its potential to "relieve the
potential financial burden on those with the disease and allow them
to focus on what's important: fighting the cancer."
"The MBCACA is common-sense legislation with broad
bipartisan support," said Visco. "Metastatic breast cancer patients
have no time to waste. Why must they continue to wait for Congress
to act?"
To join this effort to pass the MBCACA this year:
- Use NBCC's Action Center to contact your representative. The
Action Center will guide you in crafting a message to urge them to
sign on if they haven't cosponsored or thank them for their support
and ask them to help get the bill across the finish line this
year.
- Get inspired by the personal stories of those who have been
affected by waiting periods for Social Security Disability
Insurance and Medicare.
- Read NBCC's advocates' powerful letters to their local media
outlets to publicly push their elected officials to support
the MBCACA.
- Spread the word about the MBCACA and NBCC's "Get to 290" effort
by sharing this post on social media. Follow NBCC
on X, Facebook, LinkedIn,
and Instagram for more.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/breast-cancer-advocacy-groups-call-on-congress-to-pass-the-metastatic-breast-cancer-access-to-care-act-302243925.html
SOURCE Breast Cancer Over Time