Most of Congress backs this bill to support breast cancer patients. Why isn’t it law?

It is increasingly rare for more than half of the House of Representatives to agree on anything. Yet 259 bipartisan members have co-sponsored the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act, co-led by Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) and Kathy Castor (D-Fla.). So why is this bill languishing in the Ways and Means Committee?  

By law, individuals under the age of 65 diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer are eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare. But that law also imposes cruel and arbitrary waiting periods for these benefits: five months for disability insurance, followed by 24 months for Medicare. These are women and men with an average life expectancy of three years. They are literally dying while waiting for benefits they qualify for and have paid for through employment taxes.

I can attest that metastatic breast cancer devastates your life. Two years ago — 38 years after my initial  diagnosis, after years of being declared “cancer free” — I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, for which there is no cure.

I have been fortunate. I have what millions in the U.S. do not: great healthcare coverage and access to incredible healthcare professionals........

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