According to a study over the last decade, women who regularly participate in mammograms are 60% less likely to die from breast cancer
Sens. Ossoff & Lummis, bipartisan group of lawmakers call on the VA to improve its mammogram services and expand access to mobile mammography units
Washington, D.C. — After hearing directly from veterans across Georgia, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is working across the aisle to help more veterans access timely and comprehensive breast cancer screenings.
This week, Sens. Ossoff and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) launched a bipartisan push to sound the alarm with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs on the challenges veterans face when seeking mammogram services, key medical examinations that help detect early signs of breast cancer.
Sens. Ossoff and Lummis, along with Sens. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), are calling on the VA to put more resources toward expanding access to mobile mammography units, improving advanced mammography equipment, and enhancing outreach services to better publicize mammography services.
“Access to screening for breast cancer saves lives. No veteran should have to wait for months, drive for hours, or wade through red tape to get a mammogram when they need one,” the Senators wrote. “We must prioritize mammography services and ensure that every veteran has access to the comprehensive care they need across our country, including the regular mammograms that are a critical component of women’s medical care.”
According to the National Library of Medicine, female veterans were nearly three times more likely to develop invasive breast cancer than the rest of the population.
Although mammogram services significantly help reduce women’s risk of dying from breast cancer, Sen. Ossoff heard from veterans across Georgia about their lack of access to these vital cancer screenings, especially for female veterans in rural areas.
Last year, Sen. Ossoff led the charge on upgrading female body armor to help ensure that women have quality and proper-fitting gear, significantly reducing their risk of harm or injury during training. Sen. Ossoff successfully passed this initiative through the last Congress with major bipartisan support.
Click here to read the Senators’ letter.
