Whitfield Encourages Education and Action During Breast Cancer Awareness Month | News | Congressman Ed Whitfield

News | Congressman Ed Whitfield | United States Representative

Whitfield Encourages Education and Action During Breast Cancer Awareness Month October 8, 2009 WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield (KY-01) is calling on Congress to move forward with critical legislation which will raise awareness about the importance of early detection of breast cancer and ensure that women across the country have access to the treatment they need to combat this killer disease.

"Breast cancer continues to be an issue that impacts every American across the country at some point in their lives," Whitfield said. "In fact, in Kentucky alone it is estimated that nearly 3,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed this year. The bills we are considering today will go a long way in educating women about the importance of early detection and ensuring patients receive the care and treatment they need."

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing today on three bills critical to preventing, diagnosing and treating breast cancer. The bills considered by the committee today were H.R. 995, the Mammogram and MRI Availability Act of 2009; H.R. 1740, the Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act of 2009 (EARLY Act); H.R. 1691, the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2009; and H.R. 2279, the Eliminating Disparities in Breast Cancer Treatment Act of 2009.

It is currently estimated that one in nine women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. As with most cancers, early detection is the key. The Mammogram and MRI Availability Act of 2009 would help expand access to critical breast cancer screening measures. Additionally, the EARLY Act calls for a national education campaign to increase public awareness regarding the threats posed by breast cancer to young women as well as the risk factors for the disease and the importance of achieving early detection through community-centered informational forums, public service advertisements and media campaigns.

The Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act would ensure breast cancer patients are allowed enough hospital time after ongoing mastectomies to fully recover. There have been concerns recently about breast cancer patients reporting adverse outcomes, including infection and inadequately controlled pain, resulting from premature hospital discharge following breast cancer surgery. The bill would require health plans to provide coverage for a minimum hospital stay for mastectomies, lumpectomies, and lymph node dissection for the treatment of breast cancer as well as coverage for secondary consultations. Furthermore, to ensure that women across the country receive adequate care, the Eliminating Disparities in Breast Cancer Treatment Act of 2009 would establish a breast cancer treatment quality performance system.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The purpose of the designation is to promote breast cancer awareness, share information on the disease and increase access to screening services. Whitfield is encouraging women across the First Congressional District to use this month to educate themselves about the disease and the tools they can use to prevent it. For more information on National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, please visit http://www.nbcam.org/

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