Breast Cancer Prevention Drugs to be Covered by Affordable Care Act

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By Rebecca Shapiro 2014-01-09T09:39:17Z

Some breast cancer prevention drugs will become available to patients for free under the Affordable Care Act, The Huffington Post's Amanda Terkel reported on Thursday.

In new guidance to be set by the Department of Health and Human Services, drugs including tamoxifen and raloxifene will become available without copay. The drugs are the latest in a slew of preventive care medicines and procedures that have become available under President Obama's new health care system.

According to the American Cancer Institute, tamoxifen and raloxifene are known as selective estrogen response modifiers and are useful in reducing the risk of breast cancer due to their ability to act against estrogen in breast tissue. Raloxifene was originally approved by the FDA to prevent and treat osteoporosis in post-menopausal women, as it helps make bones stronger.

In addition to these breast cancer prevention drugs, the Affordable Care Act also fully covers routine anemia screenings for pregnant women, breast cancer genetic test counseling (BRCA) for women with increased risks of breast cancer, one to two mammograms per year for women over 40, contraception, and more. Religious organizations are excluded from the Affordable Care Act's birth control mandate. For a full list of the preventive medicines and procedures offered, visit healthcare.gov.

(h/t The Huffington Post)