Density Reporting Legislation 2017 - Colorado Becomes State 29!
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed the Centennial State's Dense Breast Reporting Bill SB17-142 on April 6, 2017, adding to the growing list of density reporting laws across the country. The bill was introduced in the Colorado Legislature by Senator Angela Williams and sponsored in the House by Representative Jessie Danielson. The Colorado Breast Density Coalition actively advocated for the law.
“This is a victory for Colorado women, reports Senator Williams. "Now all women in Colorado will have the same information as their doctors." Representative Danielson added, "This law encourages patients to discuss with health care providers screening options that are personalized to a patient with dense breast tissue. It is one solution to increase the early detection of breast cancer."
The law is effective on October 1, 2017. Currently, New Mexico, Iowa and Kentucky have breast density reporting bills awaiting Governor's action.
Connecticut was the first state to enact a density reporting law in 2009, inspired by Nancy M. Cappello, Ph.D., after her advanced stage 3c breast cancer, metastasized to 13 lymph nodes, was discovered within weeks of her 11th normal mammogram. It was at this time that the impact of her dense breast tissue and its challenges to detect cancer by mammogram alone was revealed to her by her team of doctors.
Dr. Cappello is the founder and director of two breast health non profit organizations, Are You Dense Inc. and Are You Dense Advocacy, Inc.
Twenty-Nine Density Reporting States:
Connecticut (2009), Texas (2011), Virginia, New York, California (2012), Tennessee, Hawaii, Maryland, Alabama, Nevada, Oregon, North Carolina, Pennsylvania (2013), Ohio, Missouri, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Arizona, New Jersey (2014) Louisiana, Delaware, North Dakota, Michigan (2015), Indiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Vermont (2016) Colorado (2017)
