Nebraska Lawmakers Approve Cancer Treatment Bill
Companies Would Treat Intravenous and Oral Chemotherapy the Same Way
Lincoln, NE (AP) - A Nebraska bill that would require parity for insurance coverage of cancer drugs has won final approval from lawmakers.
Lawmakers voted 46-0 Monday to send the measure to Gov. Dave Heineman.
The legislation by Omaha Sen. Jeremy Nordquist would require insurance companies to treat intravenous and oral chemotherapy treatments the same for coverage purposes.
Nordquist has said the idea for the bill came from his brother, an Omaha doctor, who reported encounters with roughly half a dozen patients who could not afford oral cancer drugs even though it was the preferred treatment.
Insurance policies usually cover the cost of IV chemotherapy as a medical benefit, while oral medications are viewed as prescription drug benefits with much larger copayments.
The bill is LB882
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