Wisc. lawmaker blocks cancer treatment bill after insurance lobbyist brother opposes it
Wisc. lawmaker blocks cancer treatment bill after insurance lobbyist brother opposes it
By David Edwards
Monday, March 17, 2014 11:09 EDT
Wisconsin state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R) — whose brother works as a lobbyist — last week blocked a bill that would have required health plans to cover chemotherapy drugs equally.
Last year, lawmakers in Wisconsin moved to join 29 other states and pass the Cancer Treatment Fairness Act, which would treat chemotherapy pills taken orally the same as intravenous medications.
“Historically, cancer was always treated by intravenous medications, which are administered in the hospital or in the doctor’s office,” oncologist Dr. Parameswaran Hari told WITI. “So newer medications, which we call targeted medications are available only in oral form — so they just got coverage as if they would cover a diabetic medication or hypertension medication under the prescription benefit.”
This left many cancer patients paying tens of thousands of dollars out-of-pocket or unable to afford medication at all.
More:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/03/17/wisc-lawmaker-blocks-cancer-treatment-bill-after-insurance-lobbyist-brother-opposes-it/
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