New law eases costs for cancer clinical trial patients
Governor: Bill eases "onerous burden"
The cost of clinical trials for cancer patients will soon be eased in the commonwealth.
Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear on Wednesday signed Senate Bill 18 which forbids health care plans from turning down coverage of routine health care costs incurred as a part of clinical trials for cancer, assuming the same services would have been covered if not part of a cancer clinical trial.
The care that would be covered includes doctor visits, hospital stays, medical tests and treatments.
Beshear said health insurance companies often deny coverage for routine care for patients involved in trials.
He said the legislation removes "the often onerous burden" of cancer patients having to pay for routine care out of pocket.
- The Associated Press contributed to this story.
