WASHINGTON – Today, Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Senators Martha McSally (R-AZ) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the bipartisan and bicameral Better and Robust Screening Today (BRST) Act, which provides U.S. servicemembers and their families improved breast cancer screening options.

The Better and Robust Screening Today Act requires the Department of Defense (DoD) to cover the most effective breast cancer screening option: Digital Breast Tomosynthesis, also known as DBT or 3D mammography. DBT is already covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs and almost all other traditional health care plans. Currently, DoD only covers DBT as a secondary option, after there is an issue with the first, traditional scan.

“Our active duty servicemembers, military family members, and veterans should have access to quality health care,” said Houlahan. “The BRST Act marks an important step in addressing the gaps in TRICARE, which covers millions in our military community. DBT Mammography is the best screening for breast cancer we have for women with dense breast tissue. TRICARE should include coverage for this service so that both those who’ve served and their families have the best chance at early detection. I’m proud of this bipartisan and bicameral legislation borne from the minds of women veterans in Congress.”

“We owe our servicemembers and their families access to high quality health care and preventative services,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “This bipartisan legislation will close the Tricare coverage gap and ensure the military community can receive 3D mammography, the most effective method of breast cancer screening. I am proud to co-lead this critical effort, and I will continue to advocate on behalf of our servicemembers and military families.”

“Servicemembers and their families sacrifice so much and deserve the best health care and technology available,” said McSally. “There is simply no good reason to deny DBT screening, the latest breast cancer imaging technology, to Tricare patients. As a female veteran myself, I am proud to lead this bicameral, bipartisan bill to expand Tricare coverage for our heroes and their families.”

“Expanding access to the latest advances in preventive cancer screenings could mean the difference between life and death for some Americans. Improving this access for our service members is a no brainer and I’m proud to stand with Senator McSally in this bipartisan effort,” said Shaheen. “This legislation would provide an important fix to our health care system by requiring the Department of Defense to cover 3D mammography as an option for preventive breast cancer screening. 3D mammography can provide superior detection of breast cancer, which is critical to beating this devastating disease. This bill is an important way to help ensure our servicewomen have coverage to seek the preventive screenings they need.”

The number of women in the Armed Forces continues to grow at a rapid pace. In 1973, at the end of the draft, women represented a mere two percent of the enlisted forces and eight percent of the officer corps. Today, those numbers have significantly increased to 16 percent and 18 percent respectively.

Click here to read the Better and Robust Screening Today Act.

On July 19^th, Houlahan led a letter that was signed by 50 bipartisan Members of Congress to the Honorable Thomas McCaffery, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs urging the Military Health System (MHS) to address the disparity in breast cancer screening coverage that is putting the lives of our nation’s servicemembers, military family members, and veterans at risk.

Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator, and a nonprofit leader. She’s in her first term representing Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.

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