HCS HB 192 -- HEALTH INSURANCE

SPONSOR:  Holand (Luetkemeyer)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Health
Care Policy by a vote of 11 to 1 with 2 present.

Current law requires health insurers to provide coverage to
cancer patients for routine patient costs incurred as a result of
drugs and devices used in clinical trials, even if those drugs
and devices have not been approved by the U. S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for use in treating the patient's particular
condition.  This substitute would not require accident-only
policies, specified disease policies, Medicare supplement
policies, and other types of limited benefit health insurance
policies to cover these costs.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not available at time of printing.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill adds clarifying
language which excludes limited benefit type insurance policies
from covering routine patient costs incurred as a result of
participating in a phase III or phase IV clinical cancer trial.
If a patient develops an additional disease while participating
in a clinical trial, expenses incurred as a result of the
secondary illness would be covered.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Luetkemeyer; Missouri
Association of Health Plans; Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri;
United Healthcare; Group Health Plan and Coventry Health Plans of
Kansas City; Golden Rule Insurance Company; American Cancer
Society; and AFLAC.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

OTHERS:  Others testifying on the bill say that a shift in health
care costs would not occur if the bill is enacted.  In addition,
routine patient costs incurred as a result of having  x-rays
taken or contracting a secondary illness have not been  covered
for some patients.

Testifying as a technical witness was Siteman Cancer Center of
St. Louis.

Joseph Deering, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated July 25, 2003 at 10:11 am