Senator Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) and Rep. William Lamberth (R-Cottontown) on Thursday filed SB2091/HB2239, the Cancer Treatment Fairness Act, to allow cancer patients to get the treatment that is determined by their doctor to be the best option without cost being a factor or a deterrent.
“Senator Ketron and Rep. Lamberth are committed to making sure that in Tennessee we’re doing all we can to level the playing field for cancer patients,” said Jeff Parsley, executive director of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Tennessee Chapter. “This legislation will go a long way to allow Tennesseans suffering from cancer to get the treatment that is right for them and offers them the most hope.”
The legislation directs health plans that currently cover cancer treatments to apply the same cost-sharing for therapies taken by mouth as those that are administered by IV or injection. It is not a mandate and does not create a new insurance benefit.
“I’ve seen firsthand what treatment options can mean when you’re fighting cancer,” Senator Ketron said. “As lawmakers, we should do our part to support medical advancements that can save lives in leveling the playing field for patients when it comes to cost.”
“It is important to note that this bill is not an insurance mandate,” Rep. Lamberth said. “We aren’t proposing to mandate coverage of oral chemotherapy. We are merely saying that if a health plan does cover cancer treatment that patients’ out-of-pocket cost should be the same no matter how the treatment is administered.”
Also, based on an independent study, legislation to limit patient out-of-pocket costs for oral anti-cancer treatments only increases health insurance premiums slightly. Specifically, the study showed an average increase of $.50 per member per month for most plans. This translates to a 0.17 percent increase in premiums (a typical plan within this context costs over $300 per member per month). And fiscal impact studies that have been done in states where similar legislation has passed, such as Kentucky, Indiana and Missouri, have shown similar results, said officials.
“Whether up close and personal or through a family member, friend or co-worker, we have all been impacted by cancer,” Mr. Parsley continued. “Just because we haven’t kept up with the times in Tennessee, we shouldn’t punish patients by making an unjustified difference in cost an obstacle to their most effective treatment options.”
The LLS leads a coalition of stakeholders that supports the legislation and are grateful for the efforts of sponsors Senator Ketron and Rep. Lamberth, along with co-sponsors Senators Mark Green (R-Clarksville), Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) and Ed Jackson (R-Jackson) and Reps. Glen Casada (R-Franklin), Mary Littleton (R-Dickson), Dennis Powers (R-Jacksboro), Sabi Kumar (R-Springfield), Kevin Brooks (R-Cleveland), Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesboro), Jason Powell (D-Nashville), Gerald McCormick (R-Chattanooga), Mark White (R-Memphis), Sheila Butt (R-Columbia), Andrew Farmer (R-Sevierville), Joe Towns, Jr. (D-Memphis), Bill Beck (D-Nashville), Barry Doss (R-Leoma), Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis), Karen Camper (D-Memphis), Roger Kane (R-Knoxville) and Craig Fitzhugh (D-Ripley).