ASCO continues its advocacy efforts at the federal and state levels to provide insurance coverage for the routine costs associated with patient participation in cancer clinical trials.
In Congress, Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) has introduced the Access to Cancer Clinical Trials Act (HR 716)
. The legislation would require all health insurers – including those regulated by state insurance laws – to provide coverage for cancer clinical trials. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced a companion bill in the Senate last year and is reportedly planning to do the same in this session of Congress.
Below is an update on five states that are considering legislation to require insurance companies to cover the routine patient care costs associated with clinical trials:
Colorado: On February 10, ASCO joined Rocky Mountain Oncology in sending a letter to Rep. Dianne Primavera in support of her bill (HB 09-1059) to require insurance companies to provide coverage to patients enrolled in all types of clinical trials. The legislation has passed a House Committee.
Nebraska: On February 13, ASCO and the Nebraska Oncology Society (NOS) sent a letter to State Sen. Mike Gloor, who is sponsoring legislation (LB 378) that would require insurance companies to provide coverage to patients enrolled in all types of clinical trials. ASCO and NOS also sent letters to members of the Senate Banking, Commerce, and Insurance Committee in support of the legislation, as the Committee held a hearing on February 17 on the legislation. ASCO also submitted written testimony in support of the bill.
Alaska: On February 18, ASCO President-Elect Douglas W. Blayney, MD, testified and ASCO submitted written testimony to a state Senate Health, Education and Social Services Committee hearing in support of legislation (SB 10) that would require insurers to provide coverage to patients participating in cancer clinical trials. ASCO is working with the Denali Oncology Group, ASCO’s affiliate society in Alaska, to support the legislation.
Iowa: ASCO also supports Iowa legislation (HSB 85 and SF 21) that would require insurers to provide coverage to patients enrolled in cancer clinical trials, and plans to work with the Iowa Oncology Society to support the legislation.
Kentucky: The House is considering legislation (HB 30) to require clinical trials coverage, and a companion bill has been introduced in the Senate (SB 102).
If these bills pass, these five states would join the 22 states and the District of Columbia that already have laws requiring clinical trials coverage. An additional three states have negotiated cooperative agreements with insurers to cover clinical trials. Information about these states is available on the NCI Web site
.
This is not a complete list of all the states that are considering clinical trials coverage legislation. If you are aware of clinical trials legislation under consideration in your state that is not listed here, contact ASCO’s Cancer Policy & Clinical Affairs Department at 571-483-1670 or researchpolicy@asco.org. ASCO can provide resources to help you in your advocacy efforts for state legislation.
Update on Federal and State Clinical Trials Legislation
Source:ASCO
Take care
Jimmy B
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