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Breast Cancer: when insurers say no, reviewers often say yes
In 755 published external-review decisions involving breast cancer, independent physician reviewers overturned the insurer’s denial 68.5% of the time.
Published decisions
755
2001–2026
Overturned
68.5%
517 denials reversed
Most-fought treatments for breast cancer
What insurers denied — and how those fights ended.
| Treatment | Decisions | Overturned |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Breast Tomosynthesis | 213 | 95.3% |
| Breast Tomosynthesis | 75 | 92% |
| Breast MRI | 32 | 43.8% |
| Bilateral Breast MRI | 18 | 44.4% |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging | 17 | 64.7% |
| Oncotype Dx Assay | 16 | 87.5% |
| Proton Beam Therapy | 12 | 8.3% |
| PET Scan | 12 | 66.7% |
How to use this in your appeal
These outcomes come from California’s external review program — an independent physician panel whose decision binds the insurer. Every state has an equivalent, and internal appeals succeed even more often. If your care for breast cancer was denied, the published record says the denial is worth fighting.
SOURCE: CALIFORNIA DMHC INDEPENDENT MEDICAL REVIEW OUTCOMES (CHHS OPEN DATA) · DERIVED AGGREGATE STATISTICS ONLY · METHODOLOGY
Not legal or medical advice. Coverage Rights is a self-help tool that helps you prepare your own appeal. For advice about your specific situation, talk to a licensed attorney or your doctor.