Information on breast density to be provided to patients

27 January 2012

The House and Senate have both acted favorably on measures that would require health care providers to give women information about their breast density following mammograms. HB 83, introduced by Del. Bobby Orrock (R-54th, Thornburg) was unanimously approved by the House of Delegates. Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) Vice President Sterling N. Ransone Jr., M.D. spoke in support of the measure before the House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee and answered legislators’ questions about mammography screening.

The Senate version, SB 544, patroned by Sen. John Edwards (D-21st, Roanoke) was approved with no opposition by the Education and Health Committee on Jan. 26 and will advance to the full Senate for a vote.

The bills will require that when a health care provider sends information to a patient following a mammogram that the letter include information on the woman’s breast density. For those patients who have dense breast tissue as determined by the radiologist reviewing the mammography results, the letter will include the following notice:

"YOUR MAMMOGRAM DEMONSTRATES THAT YOU MAY HAVE DENSE BREAST TISSUE, WHICH CAN HIDE CANCER OR OTHER ABNORMALITIES. A REPORT OF YOUR MAMMOGRAPHY RESULTS, WHICH CONTAINS INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR BREAST DENSITY, HAS BEEN SENT TO YOUR REFERRING PHYSICIAN'S OFFICE, AND YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR PHYSICIAN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS REPORT."

MSV and the American College of Radiology-Virginia Chapter worked with the bill patrons about physicians’ concerns about the bill language as originally introduced. MSV is appreciative of Del. Orrock’s and Sen. Edwards’s openness to improving the bill to ensure that women receive the relevant information they need about their breast health.