Support SB 0435 / HB 0484, Increased Coverage for Biomarker Testing

Ask Governor Bill Lee to support SB 0435 / HB 0484. Below is an opportunity to engage in support of increased coverage for biomarker testing.

Health care is rapidly moving towards an advanced, precision-based approach. For example, with the advancements of precision medicine in oncology care, doctors can offer cancer patients targeted treatments based on the molecular understanding of their disease, allowing for more personalized, patient-centered care.  This can lead to more effective treatment, with fewer side effects – and has been proven to improve patient outcomes for some types of cancer.

This type of individualized treatment is possible by knowing the specific genomic alterations in the patient, which can be detected through biomarker testing. Advances in precision medicine are also being seen in a number of disease states including neurology, rheumatology and mental health. For example, a recent study highlighted that a simple blood biomarker test was found to be accurate in identifying the most important biomarker in Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Similarly in rheumatology, biomarkers reveal whether specific medications would be ineffective for patients who have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

SB 0435 / HB 0484 improves the clinician-patient relationship by ensuring patients and providers can access these critical tools to help improve diagnosis and treatment across a range of conditions. Tell your legislator to support SB 0435 / HB 0484 so patients can access the tests and treatments they need.

Dear [Lawmaker],

As your constituent, I am requesting your support for SB 0435 / HB 0484 relating to biomarker testing coverage. This bill will improve patient access to biomarker testing by requiring health insurance plans to provide coverage for these life-saving tests when deemed medically appropriate by the prescribing clinician.    
Biomarker testing is a type of testing that analyzes a patient’s tissue or blood for the presence of a specific marker. This specific marker allows clinicians to recognize disease earlier, identify specific treatments that may be particularly effective for certain patients and better monitor a patient’s disease progression. These innovative tests have been shown to improve diagnosis and better identify appropriate treatments.   
SB 0435 / HB 0484 will improve patient access by requiring health insurers to include coverage for biomarker testing for the purposes of diagnosis, treatment, appropriate management, or ongoing monitoring of a patient's disease when the test is supported by medical and scientific evidence.  
Please support SB 0435 / HB 0484 to improve coverage for biomarker testing and ensure patients have access to innovative precision medicine treatments.

Sincerely,
______

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