Breast Cancer Awareness Month

One in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their life time. But when detected at its earliest stages, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer is over 90%.

On average, a woman with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation has up to a 7 in 10 chance of getting breast cancer by age 80.

Women with one of these mutations are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age, as well as to have cancer in both breasts.

Screening mammograms have been shown to reduce breast cancer death by 22%.

Women who reported cost as a barrier to access health care had about 2 times the odds of not getting a mammogram or follow-up screening.

About 1 in 4 women ages 50 to 74 years had not received a mammogram in the past two years (stat as of 2022).

Act 1 of 2023 (Senate Bill 8, signed into law on May 1, 2023) eliminates all costs – including co-pays, deductibles and co-insurance – associated with breast MRIs, breast ultrasounds and BRCA-related genetic testing and counseling for Pennsylvanians at high risk insured under state law. Landmark, life-saving news!

SB 8 was prime-sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward and received unanimous, bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate. Act 1 was the first law signed by Governor Shapiro, who was joined by Senator Ward, PA First Lady Lori Shapiro, PBCC President and Founder Pat Halpin-Murphy and Speaker of the House Rep. Joanna McClinton at the signing table – with many other lawmakers their to show their support.