Merced Times

Congressman Duarte supports rapid benefits for late-stage breast cancer patients

Aug 8, 2024

Washington, D.C. – Congressman John Duarte (CA-13) has endorsed a new law aimed at improving access to care for late-stage breast cancer patients. Rep. Duarte collaborated with his colleagues in the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group that seeks common ground on pressing issues, to advance this proposal.

The legislation, H.R. 549, aims to eliminate waiting periods for advanced breast cancer patients under Medicare and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

"Our Valley’s breast cancer patients face enough physical and mental challenges, and we must support them immediately," said Rep. Duarte. "Delaying care even one day for our breast cancer patients is unacceptable. I, like most Americans, have seen this diagnosis destroy families, but I’ve also seen how beneficial rapid care can be for patients, families, friends, and our Valley. Removing these unnecessary wait times is not an option for me; it's an obligation as a father, husband, community member, and your Congressman."

The proposal seeks to:

- Eliminate the 5-month waiting period for SSDI coverage.

- Eliminate the 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage.

Background:

One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. An estimated 43,780 people in the U.S. died from breast cancer in 2022. Ninety percent of these deaths were due to late-stage breast cancer when the disease spreads from the breast to other parts of the body such as bones and lungs.

While effective treatments exist for late-stage breast cancer, there is no cure and the average life expectancy is about three years. Delaying treatment leads to significantly higher mortality rates; according to a recent study, the risk of death was 73% higher with a three-month delay.

The National Breast Cancer Coalition, the National Partnership for Women & Families, the National Women’s Health Network, the Problem Solvers Caucus, along with many other Democrats and Republicans have endorsed this proposal.