North Carolina Senate Bill S553

North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/25/25
• Refer: 3/26/25

Caption

Save More Tatas Act

Summary

Senate Bill 553, the “Save More Tatas Act,” would expand and clarify North Carolina insurance coverage for breast cancer and cervical cancer screening, with a particular focus on diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging. The bill recodifies existing mammography coverage provisions, adds definitions for terms such as dense breast tissue, diagnostic examination, supplemental examination, and cost-sharing requirement, and specifies that health plans covering diagnostic or supplemental breast cancer exams must apply cost-sharing no less favorable than for screening mammograms. It also updates cervical cancer screening language to align with current American Cancer Society or state advisory guidelines. The bill further requires coverage for mammograms and breast ultrasound in a broader set of circumstances, including for women at elevated risk, women with dense breast tissue, and women in specified age groups. It also directs that mammography facilities meet accreditation standards and that laboratories used for cervical cancer screening meet applicable accreditation standards. In addition, the bill updates patient notification requirements for dense breast tissue so that mammography reports must include a detailed notice about the potential benefits of supplemental screening and the importance of discussing risk factors with a physician.

Impact

The bill would amend and reorganize multiple provisions of Chapter 58 and Chapter 130A of the General Statutes, while also repealing two existing insurance statutes and replacing them with a new recodified section. It would apply the new insurance coverage requirements to policies issued, renewed, or amended on or after October 1, 2025, and would extend the coverage mandate to the State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees. The bill also appropriates recurring General Fund dollars to the Department of State Treasurer to implement State Health Plan coverage and nonrecurring funds to the Community Colleges System Office to recruit and retain certified mammography technologists in rural and underserved areas. Health care facilities performing mammograms would also face updated reporting and disclosure obligations regarding breast density.

Sentiment

The bill’s overall tone is strongly supportive of expanded women’s health screening and access to breast cancer detection services. Its title, structure, and appropriations all indicate a policy goal of reducing barriers to mammography, supplemental imaging, and patient awareness, especially for women with dense breast tissue or elevated risk. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented opposition or support beyond the bill text itself.

Contention

The main policy issues likely to draw attention are cost and mandate scope. Insurers and health plans may be concerned about the requirement that diagnostic and supplemental breast cancer imaging be covered with cost-sharing no less favorable than screening exams, because that can increase utilization and claims costs. State budget impacts may also be debated because the bill includes recurring appropriations for State Health Plan implementation and funding for workforce recruitment in underserved areas. Another possible point of discussion is the expanded patient-notification language for dense breast tissue, which increases disclosure obligations for facilities and may raise questions about medical guidance, administrative burden, and consistency with federal standards.