Lawmaker battling breast cancer vows to challenge Oklahoma governor’s veto on diagnostic screening

OKLAHOMA CITY — A Democratic lawmaker, who is battling breast cancer, said Wednesday that she plans to try to override the governor’s veto of a bill designed to improve access to diagnostic screening of the disease.

Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, said Gov. Kevin Stitt’s veto of House Bill 1389 generated a “lot of shock” and felt personal even though she’s well through the diagnostic screening process for her own breast cancer.

She said that close to 1 in 6 Oklahoma women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, which is above the national average.

The measure sought to add contrast-enhanced mammograms and molecular breast imaging to the list of diagnostic examinations that insurance companies must cover without patient cost-sharing. Supporters said such diagnostic tests are essential to early detection, treatment and improved outcomes.

Provenzano said lawmakers in 2022 passed legislation requiring the coverage of diagnostic mammograms, but she has since discovered that access to the same machines depends on where you live.

“I’ve also fielded call after call from women who say their insurance companies are pushing back on coverage, despite what the law says,” Provenzano said in a statement. “In the simplest of terms, HB 1389 clarifies the language so no matter where you live – be it Guymon, Tulsa or Broken Bow, your access to care is there. This bill seeks to make sure every woman can get care, regardless of her zip code.”

Her bill was one of four vetoed Tuesday by Stitt.

“I am deeply sympathetic to the women across our state who have bravely fought breast cancer,” Stitt wrote in his veto message. “While early detection and access to care are critical priorities, this legislation imposes new and costly insurance mandates on private health plans that will ultimately raise insurance premiums for working families and small businesses.”

He wrote that mammograms are already covered, and doctors are empowered to order further tests that can be covered by insurance.

Sen. Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City, the Senate author, said she felt “sincere disappointment” over the veto of a measure that she believes is “life-saving.”

“House Bill 1389 aimed to ensure that all Oklahomans, especially those at higher risk or with a family history of breast cancer, had access to affordable and comprehensive breast cancer screenings,” she said in a statement. “This legislation was vetoed due to the belief that the provision of this care could contribute to higher insurance premiums, although the reality is that the costs of providing preventative screenings are minuscule when compared to the costs to treat late-stage disease.”

She pledged to continue to work until every man and woman can access the care without also enduring financial hardship.

Before heading to Stitt’s desk, the measure passed unanimously through the House and by a 34-11 vote in the Senate. It would take a vote of two-thirds of lawmakers in both chambers to override Stitt’s veto.

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