Wednesday, July 2, 2014

AZ Heather Carter: Disparities in cancer treatment costs shouldn’t determine patient care...


Yesterday, at Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare, we celebrated Governor Brewer signing my cost-parity bill for oral anticancer drugs.  HB 2078 is one of the bills I was proudest to sponsor last session.

Beginning January 1, 2016, health insurance companies will not be allowed to charge cancer patients different amounts for oral treatment versus injections or those administered intravenously.  Now instead of being financially pressured into one type of treatment, patients can consult with their doctors and families and make healthcare decisions based on the patient’s individual circumstances. 

With the passage and signing of HB2078, I’m very pleased that our elected officials did the right thing to stand up and represent all cancer patients.  By requiring insurance plans that already cover cancer treatments to treat all cancer drugs equally, it is now up to patients working with their doctors to decide what is the best available course of treatment for their condition. This also opens up a world of affordable options for rural cancer patients who don’t live near a treatment center.     

HB 2078 will grant patients more access, more affordability, and most importantly, more choice in selecting their treatments. 

Sincerely,

    Heather Carter