North Dakota Senate Blocks Bill to Cut Breast Cancer Screening Costs

A measure aimed at removing financial barriers to breast cancer detection for state workers was narrowly defeated by the North Dakota Senate on Friday, April 11.

The legislation, House Bill 1283, sought to ensure that employees covered under the Public Employees Retirement System would not face out-of-pocket expenses — including deductibles, copays or coinsurance — for follow-up breast imaging. This included diagnostic mammograms, MRIs and ultrasounds often required after an initial screening flags a concern.

Although the Senate Appropriations Committee had advanced the bill with an 11-5 do-pass recommendation, it failed on the floor in a close 24-22 vote.