VBCF's Legislative Priorities:
- Support policies for Virginians in all stages of the breast cancer journey – screening, diagnosis, caregiving, treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life care
- Support legislation to enable Virginians to receive breast cancer screening and treatment regardless of insurance status or ability to pay
- Promote research initiatives aimed at understanding and eradicating breast cancer
- Support policies aimed at breast cancer risk reduction
Our Advocacy Accomplishments
- Mobilize and train volunteer advocates to participate in state and national breast cancer advocacy days to improve breast cancer policies. Since 2009, thanks to John Noss, VBCF has offered Karin Deck Noss Scholarships to selected participants to attend national, in-depth educational conferences and bring this knowledge back to Virginia to carry on the work that Karin Decker Noss, a dedicated board member and former VBCF president, began. (Ongoing)
- Ending the practice of “surprise” medical billing (2020). Now patients who receive out-of-network care at a hospital covered by their plan can only be charged the in-network rate required by their plan. The law applies to both emergency services and non-emergency, out of network services.
- Limiting the sale of short-term, limited-duration health care plans (STLDP) to 6-months in duration (2020). STLDPs are not required to adhere to important patient protections – they can refuse coverage for pre-existing conditions and choose not to cover essential health care services, including cancer screenings.
- Virginia puts fair limits on the practice of step therapy (2019). Step therapy – also known as “fail first” – occurs when a doctor prescribes a medication, but the insurance company requires the patient to try one or several other drugs first, usually based on financial, not medical considerations. For cancer patients, step-therapy can mean an unnecessary delay in access to medication and could cause their health to deteriorate.
- Virginia expands Medicaid, allowing 400,000 Virginians access to preventive cancer screening and treatment regardless of their economic status (2018)
- Expansion of Virginia’s Affirmative Defense law so cancer patients can access medical marijuana in consultation with their health care providers. VBCF was the only cancer organization in the Commonwealth to advocate for expanded access to medical cannabis in Virginia.(2018)
- National Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) – and continuing to protect patients with pre-existing conditions, including breast cancer survivors (2016)
- Oral Chemotherapy Parity Law requiring Virginia’s group and individual health insurance plans to cover oral chemotherapy drugs on no less favorable terms than IV chemotherapy (2012)
- Breast Density Notification Law – Virginia was the third state in the U.S. to pass such a law (2012)
- National Breast and Cervical Treatment Act providing free screening and treatment to low-income and uninsured women diagnosed through Virginia’s Every Woman’s Life program (2000)
- State legislation to ensure coverage for breast reconstruction and ensuring a 48-hour hospital stay following a mastectomy (1998)
- Virginia’s Genetic Information Privacy Act to prohibit health insurers from discrimination based upon a family history of breast cancer (1996)
Advocacy News
Advocacy Win: Step Therapy Bill Passes
Photo: Del. Davis speaking to advocates during the 2019 State Advocacy Day hosted by VBCF & ACS CAN. Last week, the General Assembly passed legislation will put fair limits on the practice of step therapy. Step therapy – also known as “fail...
