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Dr. Jill Biden: My personal involvement with breast cancer started about
20 years ago when several of my friends were -- got breast
cancer and now I am lucky to be a part of an administration that
as Kathleen mentioned is working hard to ensure affordable and
accessible health care that makes mammograms here available
to many many women and that's a big change.
Secretary Sebelius: Well what we know about breast cancer is that early detection
is really a critical component of long survival.
Having mammograms available to women without co-pays or
co-insurance is a big step.
Kristen Hahn: Jennifer and I are here today because we think getting the
word out to women about self examinations and annual
mammograms at a age appropriate time for women is a really
important message -- life saving message.
Costanza Cocilovo: Greater access is obviously hugely important.
We physicians see it all the time and struggle with it.
Patients who have pre-existing conditions who aren't able to
get insurance and its heart-breaking trying
to get these patients the health care that they need.
Thelma Jones: The challenge of educating and reaching out is still something
that we want to focus on and continue to do.
Especially reaching people where they are as oppose to expecting
them to come to a medical facility.
Secretary Sebelius: The care coordination at a center like here at Inova is
exactly the kind of strategy that again is encouraged for
doctors with the Affordable Care Act,
that doctors really are working in a team.
Costanza Cocilovo: Mammogram rates have decreased a little over the past few years.
Hopefully with health care reform access will start
going back up.
Stats from breast cancer, our cure rates 96%, 97% --
Secretary Sebelius: 97% now.
Costanza Cocilovo: -- I mean their high.
Whereas when you start to get to stage two --
stage three it's a precipitous dropped and so really the key is
to get these women in and to screen them and pick
things up early.
Kristen Hahn: Once early detection is established with women,
they have the best chance possible to survive.
So we are really are trying to put that message out there and
talk about breast cancer as something that affects everyone.
Secretary Sebelius: Medicare now starting in January 2011 offers mammograms and other
preventive screening techniques with no co-pays
and no co-insurance.
New health insurance plans will have to provide prevention
coverage like mammograms to women with no co-pays
or co-insurance, again encouraging women to get it.
By 2014, the Affordable Care Act will provide insurance coverage
to millions of American women who currently are un-insured.
Melanie Nix: People who may have been kind of missed or fallen through the
cracks will now be able to go to a doctor to have treatment and
to not have to fear that I've got this diagnosis,
but how in the world am I going to pay for this?
How am I going to be able to get the treatment to help
me survive.
Costanza Cocilovo: Allowing patients access to preventive screenings is going
to make a huge difference in women's lives.