For most, politics is a zero-sum game whether you’re in Richmond or Washington. But a pair of Virginia Senators found common ground on an issue they both say will help improve the lives of women across the Commonwealth.
In Virginia's legislative chambers, they call it finding “peace in the valley” when elected officials can agree on something. Democratic Senator Russet Perry and Republican Senator Tara Durant found such peace on a measure they say will reduce cost barriers for breast cancer testing.
Perry’s personal experience with breast cancer began when she was five years old and her mother was diagnosed for a second time.
“They expected her to lose her life and she, as a result, went back to school, it changed my entire life. I moved from small-town Missouri down to Texas and then up here to DC," Perry told Radio IQ. "I attribute I would not be here today in the General Assembly without those events so they’re very important and personal to me.”
Durant’s breast cancer journey started when she was first running for the House of Delegates four years ago. After a lumpectomy she was told she was cancer free, but then she got more tests.
“An ultrasound, an MRI, a mammogram, an MRI-guided biopsy and a lumpectomy," Durant told Radio IQ. "And they still had not caught everything."
The Fredericksburg Republican is better now, but it informed her understanding of barriers to care, leading to the bill’s prohibition on additional out-of-pocket costs for folks who need diagnostic and supplemental screenings.
“If a woman had not had good coverage, if she had not met her deductible, if the copay was prohibitive, that might have stopped her from seeking care,” Durant said.
The bill passed unanimously in both the House and Senate and is now awaiting signature on the governor’s desk.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
