Breast Cancer Patient Equity Act

The Breast Cancer Patient Equity Act would require Medicare to cover custom breast prostheses for women who have undergone mastectomies (surgical breast removal), an option currently excluded from Medicare coverage despite having a billing code. This change would directly affect women who choose non-surgical alternatives to reconstruction, including those denied coverage by Medicare and private insurers who follow Medicare's lead. The bill amends the Social Security Act to explicitly add "custom fabricated breast prostheses" to Medicare's covered services, including replacements, while maintaining existing coverage for surgical reconstruction. By closing this coverage gap, the bill aims to provide equitable access to a treatment option disproportionately unavailable to older and minority women.