A Senate committee passed "Steffanie's Law" today to require insurance companies to cover medical costs such as lab tests and doctor's visits associated with clinical trials that test new medical treatments for such things as cancer.
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The legislation is named for Steffanie Collings, a Noble teenager who has been battling a brain tumor.
Monty Collings, her father, said the bill will not help Steffanie or the family, which has amassed more than $400,000 in medical bills that their insurance provider will not cover.
"The sole reason I'm putting so much effort in this is so other families won't be put through this," Collings said.
He said his daughter, who will be 19 next month, is in the final stages of her illness. She's been undergoing care using a new treatment that is part of a clinical trial.
Dr. Renee McNall, her physician, said the costs associated with her treatment that her insurer won't cover are costs that are covered for regular care.
She and Collings declined to name the insurance company.
Dr. McNall said probably two or three health insurance companies in Oklahoma will not cover these health care costs associated with the clinical trials.
During the meeting of the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee, Sen. Brian Crain, R-Tulsa, who voted against the bill, said he was concerned about whether the legislation would have a positive or negative effect on insurance costs.
Sen. Andrew Rice, D-Oklahoma City, author of the bill, said the Senate staff made a study that projects an increase in insurance rates from this proposed law would be less than 1 percent.
The bill now goes to the full Senate.
It passed the committee 5-2.
Sen. Todd Lamb, R-Edmond, co-chairman of the committee, also voted against the bill.
Voting for it were Sens. Rice, Constance Johnson, D-Oklahoma City; Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City, Jim Wilson, D-Tahlequah, and Patrick Anderson, R-Enid.
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Once again Andrew Rice embarrasses us all. Oklahoma already pays some of the highest health insurance rates in the country - and insurance companies have always used EVERY excuse to jack up rates even more. Of course I feel bad for Stephanie, but forcing low-income workers to pay higher premiums for unproven medical treatments is NOT "progressive".
While I do agree that insurance companies should pay for treatment for patients that is normally covered, I do not agree that the insurance companies should have to pay for care associated with a clinical trial. I work for a large physician specialty practice that also is involved with clinical trials and we would never bill a patient or insurance company for lab tests or office visits that are related to the clinical trial.
I am a research nurse and whats sad is with clinical trials MOST of the care required for the trial is covered and paid for by the pharmaceutical company that is sponsoring the trial. But insurance companies just want to back out of paying ANYTHING, even the standard of care required for such an illness. I think it's really sad to have to fight for your life and right to seek treatment when nothing else has worked.
I did read the article; If this is something that an insurer didn't cover before, but now has to cover, isn't that extra? This may be a good idea or it may not be a good idea. My only point was that legislators latch on to a story like this, they pass legislation that is hastily put together and 9 times out of 10 they create more problems than they solve.
Ryan, did you read the entire article, "Dr. Renee McNall, her physician, said the costs associated with her treatment that her insurer won't cover are costs that are covered for regular care"
It only requires them to pay what they normally do, not extra. Before this if somebody had a clincal treatment the insurance companies could not pay anything if they wanted to.
People always want health insurance to cover every single thing you can imagine, and then complain because rates are too high. I always worry about laws named after dead children; they are almost always hastily passed and poorly conceived with unintended consequences that will end up harming a lot of people.
Insurance companies need to get in line with the American people. They strut around and take our money, but don't provide the coverage they should. It's a dirty rotten shame in America the way we treat our ill or injured. And when we need help from our insurance agents, they turn their back on us. Something needs to be done. This law needs to go into effect, and insurance companies need to quit acting like they are some sort of demigods!
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It only requires them to pay what they normally do, not extra. Before this if somebody had a clincal treatment the insurance companies could not pay anything if they wanted to.