Making Advances in Mammography and Medical Options for Veterans Act

Making Advances in Mammography and Medical Options for Veterans Act

This bill addresses the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provision of mammograms and breast cancer treatment.

Among other requirements, the VA must

• submit a strategic plan for improving breast imaging services for veterans;
• implement a three-year pilot program to provide telescreening mammography services for veterans who live in locations where access to breast imaging services at a VA facility is difficult or unfeasible;
• upgrade all mammography services at its facilities to use three-dimensional breast imaging;
• study the availability of access to testing for the breast cancer gene for veterans diagnosed with breast cancer, as recommended by the guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network;
• update guidelines to increase the use of molecular testing and genetic counseling for veterans diagnosed with breast cancer;
• study the accessibility of breast imaging services at VA facilities for veterans with paralysis, spinal cord injury or disorder, or another disability; and
• update its policies and directives to ensure that it confirms the accessibility of a breast imaging site when referring a veteran with a spinal cord injury or disorder to a non-VA provider.

The Inspector General of the VA must report to the VA and to Congress on mammography services furnished by the VA.

In addition, the VA must enter into a partnership with at least one cancer center of the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health in each Veterans Integrated Service Network to expand access to high-quality cancer care for women veterans. In implementing such partnerships, the VA must ensure that veterans with breast cancer who reside in rural areas or states without a partner cancer center are able to receive care through telehealth.

Finally, the VA must collaborate with the Department of Defense and report on all current research and health care collaborations between the departments on treating veterans and members of the Armed Forces with breast cancer.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov