Michigan Lawmaker Introduces Bill Requiring State Health Plans to Cover Cutting-Edge Cancer Treatments
In February 2020, Forrest VanPatten died fighting Priority Health, one of Michigan’s largest health insurers, over its refusal to pay for CAR-T cell therapy, his last-chance treatment. The therapy works by genetically reengineering patients’ own cells, then infusing them back into the body to beat back their disease.
Earlier this year, Michigan’s top insurance regulator told health plans they had to cover these treatments. [State Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor)]’s measure would codify that guidance, ensuring it’s not dependent on one regulator’s interpretation of the law. He said he wanted the state’s requirements to be abundantly clear to both patients and insurers.
Update, March 5, 2024: After this story was published, the bill was introduced.
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