SR907: SR907 Department of Insurance; to meet with stakeholders to explore best practices in the medical surveillance of patients after primary therapy for breast cancer and to provide any recommendations; urge

This resolution addresses how doctors and insurers should monitor breast cancer patients after they finish initial treatment, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. The Senate notes there is ongoing debate about how useful and cost effective routine imaging tests like mammograms, MRIs, and CT scans are for patients who show no symptoms after a mastectomy. The resolution asks the Department of Insurance, working with the Department of Community Health, to meet with stakeholders such as breast cancer survivors, oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, and health insurers to explore best practices for this kind of follow up care. The Department of Insurance would then have to send any recommendations, along with any suggested legislation, policy, or budget changes, to two Senate committee chairs by February 1, 2027. Copies of the resolution would go to the Commissioner of Insurance and the head of the Department of Community Health.

• Urges the Department of Insurance and the Department of Community Health to jointly meet with medical and patient stakeholders on breast cancer follow up care.
• Directs the Department of Insurance to submit any resulting recommendations to two named Senate committees by February 1, 2027.
• Requires that any submitted recommendations include proposed legislation, policy, or budget changes needed to carry them out.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to the Commissioner of Insurance and the Department of Community Health commissioner.

Breast cancer survivors and their families, oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, other healthcare providers, health insurers, and the state Department of Insurance and Department of Community Health, which would be asked to convene and report back.

If followed, the process could shape future state policy on which follow up tests, like mammograms or MRIs, are considered necessary versus unnecessary for breast cancer patients after treatment, potentially affecting insurance coverage and medical practice statewide.

• The resolution's whereas clauses describe breast cancer statistics and note debate over the cost effectiveness and necessity of routine imaging after mastectomy for asymptomatic patients.
• The first resolving clause urges the Department of Insurance, with the Department of Community Health, to meet with stakeholders to explore surveillance best practices.
• The second resolving clause sets a deadline of February 1, 2027 for the Department of Insurance to submit recommendations to the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
• The final clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies to the Commissioner of Insurance and the Department of Community Health commissioner.

1. 2026-03-06Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-03-04Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)Primary sponsor
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)

• breast cancer
• health insurance
• medical surveillance
• cancer treatment policy