'Kind of a bummer': Katie Couric disappointed in USPSTF recs that exclude supplementary imaging for dense breasts
Following the release of updated draft recommendations from the United States Preventive Services Task Force pertaining to what age women should begin undergoing screening for breast cancer, Katie Couric is encouraging the public to push the USPSTF to take its update a step further by including supplemental screening guidelines for women with dense breasts.
Although Couric, a breast cancer survivor, expressed enthusiasm for the USPSTF’s recommendation that all women at average risk of cancer begin screening at age 40, she voiced her disappointment in the decision to exclude recommendations that women with dense breasts to undergo additional imaging, such as MRI and ultrasound. The task force cited insufficient evidence as the driver behind the decision to forego recommending supplemental screening.
“What we don’t know yet, and what we are urgently calling for more research on, is whether and how additional screening for women with dense breasts might be helpful, including through ultrasound, breast MRIs, or something else,” Task Force member John Wong, MD, said in a prepared statement on the update.
Couric shared her thoughts on this decision in a video posted to LinkedIn.
“In my opinion, this is a real bummer, because if the task force recommends additional screening, insurance companies would be required to cover it,” Couric stated.
Women with dense breasts are frequently advised to undergo additional imaging with modalities such as breast MRI, but those exams are likely to come with additional OOP expenses. Multiple studies have shown women are more likely to decline supplementary imaging if it would result in additional OOP costs.
Currently, 15 states and the District of Columbia have laws in place that require insurance coverage for supplemental screening, but the exams could still be subject to deductibles and co-pays. For women with dense breasts, lack of coverage could be especially consequential, as they are at an increased risk of not just developing breast cancer, but also having their cancer missed on routine mammograms.
Couric, alongside other advocates and lawmakers, has pushed Congress to pass legislation that would ensure women who need supplemental screening do not incur additional expenses for necessary exams. The federal insurance bill, now known as the Find It Early Act, was first introduced to Congress in December of 2022.
As the most recent update from the USPSTF is a draft recommendation, its contents have not yet been made official. Taking note of that, Couric encouraged the public to take advantage of the opportunity to speak out on the benefits of supplemental screening for women with dense breasts.
The draft is open for public comment until June 5. Comments can be submitted here.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She joined Innovate Healthcare in 2021 and has since put her unique expertise to use in her editorial role with Health Imaging.