Gary Turco

Did you know that an estimated 3,550 Connecticut women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year? While anyone is at risk of developing breast cancer, it is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in American women, except for skin cancers. In the U.S., 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

Legislation can be a powerful tool to improve health outcomes for breast cancer and all types of cancer. Over the past few years, the Connecticut General Assembly has passed crucial laws to provide resources, close loopholes, and make early detection easier for Connecticut residents.

This year, with the help of Newington residents and cancer survivors Jan Kritzman (pictured above) and Audrey Carlson, I proudly co-authored and championed legislation that requires health insurance coverage for breast and ovarian cancer screenings including mammograms, ultrasounds, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as certain procedures related to breast cancer treatment like breast biopsies, certain prophylactic mastectomies, and breast reconstruction surgery. The law also covers BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genetic testing and prohibits most policies from imposing out-of-pocket costs.

It builds upon a 2019 law that I co-sponsored to make breast ultrasounds and mammograms available to certain patients at no cost.

The fight against breast cancer is a deeply important issue to me. My mother is a three-time breast cancer survivor, and her early diagnosis enabled her to receive treatment and survive.

Early detection saves lives, and these laws will safeguard access to screenings and diagnostics for patients.

You can learn more about the Connecticut Early Detection and Prevention Program here.