SB22 Alabama 2013 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Roger Bedford, Jr.

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2013

Title

Breast Cancer, duty of Department of Public Health to develop and physicians disseminate certain information to patients regarding treatment options, reconstructive options, and coverage

Summary

SB22 requires Alabama to create a plain-language breast cancer information summary and have doctors notify patients about dense breast tissue during mammograms.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, the Department of Public Health must develop a standardized, plain-language summary covering treatment options, reconstructive options, and how coverage works. Doctors issuing mammogram reports must notify patients if their tissue is dense and discuss potential screening implications. The summary must be given to patients at diagnosis or soon after, and hospitals must provide the information during relevant procedures, with updates as needed. The bill does not create a new cause of action or change the standard of care.

Who It Affects

• Breast cancer patients and their families, who will receive the summary and dense-tissue notification to help understand treatment options and insurance coverage.
• Healthcare providers and institutions (physicians, hospitals, and insurers), who must distribute the summary, provide dense-tissue notifications, and discuss coverage details with patients.

Key Provisions

• The Department of Public Health must develop a standardized, plain-language written summary that (a) explains all medically viable treatment options (hormonal, radiological, chemotherapeutic, or surgical, or combinations); (b) provides information on reconstructive surgery options and their risks; (c) explains coverage provisions for mastectomy, lymph node dissection, lumpectomy, and second opinions (including out-of-network options) and advises patients to check their health plans for details; and (d) includes any other necessary information.
• The summary must be provided by a physician to each patient diagnosed with breast cancer upon diagnosis or as soon thereafter as practicable; hospitals performing related surgeries must also provide the information.
• The summary shall be updated as necessary.
• The act does not create a cause of action for lack of informed consent and does not modify the medical liability acts or standard of care.
• If a mammogram shows dense breast tissue, the physician must provide a notification that explains the tissue is common but may make cancer harder to detect and may be linked to higher risk, and to discuss screening with the doctor.
• Dense breast tissue is defined using nationally recognized guidelines (e.g., BI-RADS) and any updated terms.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Health