Biomarker testing is key to unlocking precision medicine.
Biomarkers are often used to help determine the best treatment for a patient, but not all communities are benefitting from the latest advancements in biomarker testing and precision medicine.
Progress in improving cancer outcomes increasingly involves the use of precision medicine. Biomarker testing is an important step for accessing precision medicine including targeted therapies that can lead to improved survivorship and better quality of life for cancer patients. But without action to expand coverage of and access to biomarker testing, advances in precision medicine could increase existing disparities in cancer outcomes by race, ethnicity, income, and geography.
ACS CAN is working to expand insurance coverage of comprehensive biomarker testing.
Biomarker testing coverage for all state-regulated plans: AZ, CA, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, MD, MN, NM, NY, OK, PA, RI, TX Biomarker testing coverage for some plans: AR, CO, CT, FL, LA Legislation introduced: HI, MA, ME, NV, NJ, OH, VT, WA, WV
*Arkansas and Louisiana laws apply to state-regulated private plans **Florida law applies to Medicaid and state employee health plan. ***Connecticut law applies to Medicaid.
Biomarker testing helps ensure cancer patients get the right treatment at the right time.
It allows doctors to precisely target a specific cancer so patients may not have to undergo more generalized treatments like chemo and radiation that may not work as well for them.
Key public health, patient and provider groups have come out in support of improving access to biomarker testing in New Jersey, urging lawmakers to advance and pass Assembly Bill 4163 / Senate Bill 3098 this legislative session. This fall, a broad coalition of over 30 organizations, medical leaders and patient advocates wrote to members of the Assembly Financial Institutions & Insurance (AFI) Committee to vote in favor of A4163, which they did—unanimously—several weeks ago. Now, the New Jersey Biomarker Coalition is looking to the Assembly Appropriations and Senate Commerce Committees to take up this bill and follow the lead of their AFI member colleagues.
Today, the Assembly Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee voted to improve New Jerseyans’ access to biomarker testing, advancing Assembly Bill 4163 out of committee. Championed by Assemblymembers Shavonda Sumter, Gary Schaer and Shama Haider, the proposal would ensure biomarker testing is covered by New Jersey-regulated insurance plans, including Medicaid, when medical and scientific evidence shows it would provide a benefit to patients. Advocates now look to the full Assembly to favorably advance Assembly Bill 4163 to the Senate.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) released an update this week on breast cancer occurrence and trends in the United States. While the new report finds mortality rates have dropped by 44% since 1989, not all women have benefited from this progress. The report highlighted a continued upward trend in breast cancer incidence with the steepest increase in women younger than 50 years and Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) women of all ages. The release coincides with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s (ACS CAN) campaign to connect patients with the right treatment at the right time through increasing access to biomarker testing in Hawaii.
Harrisburg residents and cancer advocates gathered at the Pennsylvania War Veterans’ Memorial Fountain outside of the Capitol building in Harrisburg this evening to honor the lives affected by cancer with a heartfelt display of 270 Lights of Hope bags representing the estimated 27,000 Pennsylvanians who will die from the disease in 2024. The personalized Lights of Hope bags were lined along the fountain, which was lit pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, to symbolize the strength, hope and memories of those touched by cancer.
Cancer biomarker testing can lead to targeted therapy which can improve survival and quality of life by connecting patients to the most beneficial treatment for their disease.
Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing is a component of precision medicine that involves examining a patient’s inherited genes to detect variations that may impact the way a drug is broken down, absorbed and used within the body.