Dear Secretary Kathleen Sebelius,

I urge you to adopt legislation requiring all insurance companies to provide coverage for BRCA gene testing upon recommendation from a medical professional. Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and the second leading cause of cancer death, and unfortunately most of us know at least one mother, sister, or friend who has been touched by this disease.

A woman who has inherited a harmful mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 is about five times more likely to develop breast cancer than a woman who does not have such a mutation, and families have the right to know about their own genetic risks. Medical experts, not insurance companies, should decide who is eligible for genetic testing. Your support is crucial to make these powerful prevention tools accessible to those who are at risk.