AUGUSTA – Last week, The Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee voted to fund LD 1577 An Act to Require Health Insurance Coverage for Biomarker Testing. This legislation, which passed both House and Senate chambers earlier this month with broad bipartisan support, would increase access to biomarker testing for Mainers who need it, ensuring they can receive the right treatment at the right time for their disease.
The following can be attributed to Julia McDonald, Maine director of government relations for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN):
“We were thrilled that Maine lawmakers have put patients first and moved to ensure more Mainers have access to biomarker testing. With this medical advancement, many patients can receive personalized care, specific to their individual disease, that can eliminate unnecessary and costly treatments for some patients.
“Now, we’re down to the wire and it’s time to look ahead. After two years of advocacy by public health groups, providers and patients across Maine, the only thing that stands between ensuring insurance coverage of this game changing advancement is Governor Mills’ pen.”
“On behalf of the thousands of Mainers who will be diagnosed with cancer this year, as well as many other serious diseases, ACS CAN urges Maine Governor Mills to sign this bill into law. By ensuring more Mainers have biomarker testing covered by their insurance plans, we can increase access to personalized medicine and realize better outcomes for cancer patients as well other disease groups.”
###
