Gov. Evers Signs Bipartisan “Gail’s Law” to Expand Access to Breast Cancer Screenings for Wisconsin Women to Prevent Delayed Diagnoses and Save Lives
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today signed “Gail’s Law,” Senate Bill 264, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 103, requiring health insurance policies, including BadgerCare, to fully cover medically necessary supplemental breast screenings or diagnostic breast examinations for those with dense breasts or who are at an increased risk of breast cancer. Gov. Evers signed the bill in honor of Gail Zeamer, a Wisconsinite who tragically passed away in 2024 after a late-stage diagnosis caused by undetected cancer in dense breast tissue. The governor signed “Gail’s Law” at the Wisconsin State Capitol today, surrounded by Gail’s husband, Steve, as well as Gail’s daughters, Sophie and Claudia, among others.
“Gail Zeamer was a wife, a mother, and a fierce advocate, and hers is a story shared by countless women across this state each and every day. Unfortunately, the system failed her. But, today, thanks to Gail and her family and their relentless efforts, we’re working to fix the system to save lives and make sure Wisconsin women don’t have to go through the same thing she did,” said Gov. Evers. “While Gail’s story and influence have helped us make important changes to state law, losing her far too soon due to a late-stage cancer diagnosis should never have been the outcome. Breast cancer is already one of the costliest cancers to treat, and by making these changes, we’re ensuring no woman slips through the cracks because they weren’t able to afford additional tests not covered by insurance. I’m also incredibly grateful to Steve, Sophie, and Claudia for their important work carrying on Gail’s legacy of advocacy and their efforts to improve the lives of women across our state.”
Like many others, Gail was diligent in attending her yearly mammograms, but she was not made aware of the increased risk of dense breasts, causing her to receive a delayed, Stage III breast cancer diagnosis in 2016. As a result of her experience, in April 2018, Gail advocated for and helped pass 2017 Wisconsin Act 201, which requires facilities that perform mammograms to provide notice to patients about dense breast tissue and its increased difficulty to detect breast cancer.
Gail continued to fight and advocate for supplemental screenings for individuals with an increased risk of breast cancer throughout her treatment, but in June 2024, Gail tragically passed away at the age of 56. In her honor, Gail’s husband and daughters, along with many other family members, friends, loved ones, and community members, continued to advocate for “Gail’s Law” to help Wisconsinites by enhancing early detection and aiding in the mitigation of health disparities.
“Our mom’s wish was simple, but powerful: that women have access to necessary breast cancer screenings without cost standing in the way. Today, that wish becomes law. Seeing Gail’s Law signed is incredibly meaningful for our family, and we are deeply grateful to the advocates, healthcare providers, and lawmakers who worked together to honor her legacy and help save lives,” said Gail’s daughters, Sophie and Claudia Zeamer.
In Wisconsin, it is estimated that over 6,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2026. Additionally, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, nearly half of women over 40 have dense breasts, and women with dense breasts are also at a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Further, according to Mayo Clinic, both breast cancer and dense breast tissue appear similarly on mammogram imaging, making it harder to detect breast cancer. Mammograms, combined with supplemental testing, such as an ultrasound and an MRI, can help improve breast cancer detection, underscoring the need for additional testing and awareness of the risk factors of dense breast tissue.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer has the highest treatment cost of any cancer, accounting for $3.5 billion for prescription drugs and $26.2 billion for medical services in 2020 alone. On top of steep treatment costs, healthcare insurance costs are skyrocketing in 2026 due to the failure to extend tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), with many Wisconsinites seeing the cost of their healthcare coverage go up by thousands of dollars. With high premium costs, more Wisconsinites are opting to go without coverage, and those who maintain coverage still encounter barriers to care, like Gail, who had to pay for her critical diagnostic ultrasound screening out-of-pocket because her insurance plan would not cover the procedure.
With the several barriers to early diagnostic care, many women are not diagnosed until late stages of cancer, ultimately lowering the potential for successful treatment. According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health, 27 percent of women with breast cancer are not diagnosed until they have already reached Stage III, highlighting the immediate need to expand access to care, improve transparency about dense breast tissue, and ultimately work to improve detection and prevent delayed diagnoses. “Gail’s Law” is a critical step in the right direction to hold health insurers accountable and ensure that those at risk can access the essential diagnostic care needed to catch cancer early on.
To give ample opportunity for early diagnoses, according to the American Cancer Society, it is recommended that women at average risk for breast cancer should get mammograms every year between the ages of 45 and 54, and women aged 55 and up can switch to a mammogram every other year or choose to continue getting yearly mammograms. Additionally, it is recommended that women who are at high risk for breast cancer based on certain factors should get a breast MRI and a mammogram every year, typically starting at age 30.
Senate Bill 264, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 103:
- Requires health insurance policies, including the state Medicaid program, to fully cover medically necessary and appropriate supplemental breast screenings or diagnostic breast examinations for individuals who are at higher risk of breast cancer or have heterogeneously or extremely dense breast tissue;
- Defines supplemental breast screening examinations to include the use of breast MRIs or breast ultrasound to screen for breast cancer when there is no abnormality seen or suspected based on personal or family medical history;
- Defines diagnostic breast examinations to include the use of breast MRIs, breast ultrasounds, breast tomosynthesis, and diagnostic mammography used to evaluate an abnormality seen or suspected from a screening examination for breast cancer or an abnormality detected through another means of examination; and
- Requires coverage regardless of whether the woman shows any symptoms of breast cancer.
- Policies or plans would not be able to impose a cost-sharing amount for any diagnostic breast examination or the first supplemental breast screening examination in a policy year. Cost-sharing may be imposed for any subsequent supplemental breast screening examinations in a policy year.
- The bill would take effect on the first day of the fourth month beginning after publication and first apply to policy or plan years beginning on January 1 of the year following the year in which the act takes effect. If a policy or plan is affected by a collective bargaining agreement, the bill would first apply to policy or plan years beginning on the effective date of the act or on the day on which the collective bargaining agreement is newly established, extended, modified, or renewed, whichever is later.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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