Legislation was introduced to the Connecticut State Senate on Feb. 29 which would allow biomarker testing, a type of analysis that helps determine the best treatment for patients, to be included with Medicaid. If passed, the testing could be utilized by anybody who is covered by Medicaid, especially cancer patients.
Biomarker testing analyzes a biospecimen from its patient, such as tissue or blood, and attempts to find any biomarkers that can give insight into which type of treatment would be most effective. Currently, this testing is used mostly with oncology and autoimmune disease, but research could lead to it being effective in helping treat many other conditions, such as heart disease or Alzheimer’s disease.
Biomarker testing is newly emerging in the medical field, and since 2000 has become even more prominent. According to an infographic provided by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), 60% of all oncology drugs in the past five years recommend biomarker testing. In addition, biomarker testing was only present in 15% of cancer clinical trials in 2000, but by 2018, that amount had increased to 55%.
A public hearing for the Connecticut bill, titled An Act Concerning Medicaid Coverage of Biomarker Testing, was held on March 12. In an advisory, ACS CAN and Bryte Johnson, the Connecticut government relations director for ACS CAN, urged people to attend this hearing at the state’s capital to show the bill’s support.
Johnson talked about how this was the first time since 2019 that ACS CAN had organized an in-person event to support cancer-fighting public policy and what this would mean for the people affected.
“We are thrilled to come together in person once again to advance cancer-fighting public policy here in Connecticut,” said Johnson. “This legislation would ensure insurance coverage in our state Medicaid program keeps pace with game-changing innovations. Aligning Connecticut HUSKY coverage of biomarker testing with scientific and medical evidence will allow more people to benefit from the most effective treatments for their condition – often while avoiding costly, ineffective treatments and unnecessary disease progression.”
If passed, this bill would help elderly patients and black patients, as well as uninsured and Medicaid-insured patients, as these groups are less likely to be tested for biomarkers, even when the testing indicated by guidelines. This would also ensure that insurance coverage stays up to date with emerging innovations, and would lead to “better health outcomes,” “improved quality of life” and “reduced costs,” according to ACS CAN’s infographic.
The bill is currently waiting to be sent to the Connecticut State Senate by the Joint Human Services Committee, the state senators will vote on it. If it receives enough votes, it will then be introduced into the Connecticut State House of Representatives to be voted on and then signed into law, if it receives enough votes.
ACS CAN, founded in 2001, advocates for public policies to fight cancer nationwide. This advocacy spans across every level of government and looks at policies that will help people suffering from cancer to better prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. ACS CAN is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society. For more information, visit the organization’s website.