BILL TO IMPROVE INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR CANCER TREATMENT RECEIVES UNANIMOUS COMMITTEE VOTE

Senator Cain’s bill requires equal coverage for oral cancer treatment

AUGUSTA—A bill to improve insurance coverage for cancer treatment was unanimously approved by the Legislature’s Insurance and Financial Services Committee yesterday.

“Oral anti-cancer medicine should be covered the same as intravenous anti-cancer medicine, plain and simple,” said Democratic Senator Emily Cain of Orono, the sponsor of the bill. “The financial burden this disparity causes for families facing cancer is overwhelming. Passing this bill will bring relief to families who are now paying thousands of dollars out of pocket for life-saving medicine that should be covered by insurance.”

Currently, insurance companies view intravenous cancer treatments as medical treatments with standard copays while oral anti-cancer medications are treated as prescriptions and patients are required to pay higher copayments as well as a percentage of the drug’s cost.

Senator Cain’s bill requires health insurance companies to cover anti-cancer medication taken in pill form in the same way they cover other chemotherapy treatments.

“This disparity causes unfair hardship on certain patients simply because their treatment comes in a different form,” said Senator Cain.  “Orally-administered chemotherapy is becoming more available and this bill eliminates a barrier to essential access for hundreds of Maine patients and their families.”

The bill, LD 627, “An Act Related to Orally Administered Cancer Therapy,” will now be sent to the Senate for a vote.