Breast Care Nurse Navigator at Pella Regional Health Center Kim Pearson recently collaborated with local lawmakers to pass legislation to change Iowa Health insurance laws, which passed unanimously and was signed by Governor Kim Reynolds on May 1st. 

As part of the effort, women at high-risk for breast cancer can now access MRI screenings on par with mammography screenings for state regulated insurance plans when the legislation takes effect on January 1st, 2025. Additionally, the new legislation means that breast ultrasounds and MRIs will be covered, ensuring that all patients can receive comprehensive care. Pearson says that the important changes in these laws can help detect breast cancer earlier.

“People with dense breasts, I did not know this until I was pursuing this legislation, not only can the dense breast tissue obscure the imaging done by a mammogram, but also that type of tissue actually increases your risk for developing breast cancer. So, those patients almost have a doubled risk, the imaging isn’t as adequate on a mammogram to see through that dense tissue and that tissue is more likely to become cancerous.”

Hear more from Kim Pearson on today’s Let’s Talk Pella.