SB 1216 – Oral Anticancer Medication

The Arizona Affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure* are partnering with the American Cancer Society (ACS) to ensure our State Legislature protects cancer patients from high out-of-pocket costs and ensures that health decisions remain between a woman and her doctor, not a woman and her insurance company. We are encouraging our elected state officials to require health insurance plans to provide coverage for oral cancer drugs that is as generous as coverage provided for intravenously-administered chemotherapy.

•  Oral chemotherapy is quickly emerging as an attractive option for patients who, with support from their doctors, will comply with the prescribed oral regimens and self-monitor for potential complications. 
• In fact, more than a quarter of the anti-cancer drugs in the research pipeline today are intended as oral drugs.
• Unfortunately, health insurance practices lag behind the state of the science.  Intravenous therapies are typically covered under a medical benefit, under which most patients are only responsible for an office copayment for each visit.  But oral chemotherapy is often covered under a prescription drug benefit, which tends to have higher copayments. 
• Since oral chemotherapy drugs can be extremely expensive, patients may be exposed to very high out-of-pocket costs, in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month.
• Health decisions should be between a woman and her doctor; the choice is as much a personal decision as it is a medical one. The choice should not have to be based on financial factors. 

 WHERE SB1216 IS IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS:

February 8, 2010       Stakeholders⁺⁺ meeting to discuss provisions in the bill.

February 10, 2010     Senate Healthcare and Medical Liability reform committee hearing on SB 1216. The bill passed out of committee. Vote results:

Carolyn Allen (R) – chair                     No
Thayer Verschoor (R) – vice-chair     No
Paula Aboud (D)                                   Yes
Amada Aguirre (D)                                Yes
Barbara Leff (R)                                    Yes
Linda Lopez (D)                                    Yes
John B. Nelson (R)                               No

 February 22, 2010     Stakeholders⁺⁺ meeting to discuss provisions in the bill.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP

• Please let us know if you have experienced this disparity and would like to share your story (mdokes@komenphoenix.org)
•  Sign up for Komen Advocacy Alliance at http://www.komenadvocacy.org/
•  Send Action Alert to your state legislator at http://komenpolicy.org/campaign/az_oral_chemo

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++ Stakeholders include Arizona Affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, American Cancer Society, lobbyist for insurance industry, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, HealthNet, Aetna, United Health Care, Leukemia & Lymphoma Association and GlaxoSmithKilne and Genetech pharmaceutical companies.

 * The Phoenix and Southern Arizona Affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure represent the entire state of Arizona.