Sometimes, people want things from the government that sound great but just aren’t cost effective. It would be fantastic if utilities came without a bill, for instance. Long hot showers without worrying about paying for either the water or the heat? Who wouldn’t like that? But services come with a cost, and someone has to pick up the tab.

More familiar are the government regulations that require we take smart steps that cost money. Want to drive a car? Prove you have insurance.

In 2023, Pennsylvania took the rarest of legislative actions. It made a good move that came with a small upfront cost and a lower financial impact.

The state passed a law requiring no-cost magnetic resonance imaging as a breast cancer screening. MRIs are better at detecting breast cancer in those at high risk. That might be because of a family history or genetic predisposition. It might be because of dense breast tissue or breast implants.

It might even be because of previous illness that required radiation treatment. It can also detect some lesions earlier than other methods. That’s important for fighting the disease. It’s also important for doing so cost-effectively.

Breast cancer is the most expensive cancer to treat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2020, that cost came to $29.8 billion. There were 272,454 new cases of breast cancer that year. But finding it early means treating it early. That means treatment costs that are as much as four times less expensive, per the National Institutes of Health.

That makes the Pennsylvania Act 1 legislation mandating no-cost MRI testing for high-risk individuals on state-regulated insurance a positive trifecta. It is medically smart, it is financially responsible and it is compassionate. So far, 26 states have taken similar steps, according to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

The state Legislature was led on this by Sen. President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, after her own breast cancer diagnosis.

There is more work to be done. Another Pennsylvania bill would expand those covered. A federal bill would apply to those covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and high- deductible health savings plans.

These are important next steps. They require a continued commitment to prioritizing health care — and to the state legislature and Congress placing achievable goals for the good of the people in front of political obstruction.

Act 1 might seem like just another piece of government paperwork. But it is proof that when everyone deems it important enough, lawmakers can make a difference.

— Pittsburgh Tribune-Review