Mobile Mammography Promotion Act Offers Fuel Tax Breaks for Screening Vehicles

This bill, the "Mobile Mammography Promotion Act of 2025," zeroes in on the operational costs of mobile mammography services. Specifically, it amends the Internal Revenue Code to give providers running these specialized health vehicles a break on federal fuel taxes. The goal is straightforward: make it cheaper to operate the vans that bring breast cancer screenings directly to communities.

Rolling Back Fuel Costs for Health

So, how does this actually work? The legislation tackles fuel costs in two ways. First, it allows the operators of vehicles used exclusively for mobile mammography to claim refunds for the federal excise taxes they pay on fuel (amending Internal Revenue Code Section 6427). Think of the standard taxes added onto gasoline or diesel at the federal level – operators can now get that money back for fuel used in these specific vans. Second, it exempts the fuel bought for or used in these vehicles from the federal retail tax often applied to special fuels (amending Internal Revenue Code Section 4041). Essentially, it's a targeted tax cut aimed directly at reducing the day-to-day expense of keeping these mobile clinics on the road, effective as soon as the bill becomes law.

Bringing Screenings Closer to Home?

The practical idea here is that lower fuel costs could help sustain or even expand mobile mammography services. For someone living in a rural area hours from the nearest hospital, or working a job with limited time off in the city, a mobile unit visiting their community center or workplace might be the only realistic way to get a screening. By reducing a key operating expense, this bill could make it more financially viable for providers to maintain routes, reach underserved populations, or potentially keep patient fees stable. While it doesn't mandate more services, it removes a financial hurdle, potentially paving the way for increased access to these crucial preventative health screenings.