September 28th, 2011

A press conference was held this morning, September 28, 2011, at the state Capitol on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and local cancer advocates in support of House Bill 623 which would require health insurance plans in Pennsylvania to cover orally administered chemotherapy treatment.

Oral chemotherapy is very different than the average prescription drug in terms of co-pays and coverage.  Most patients must currently pay out-of-pocket in the highest drug price category in order to access it. For patients the pill can cost thousands of dollars.

HB 623 would revise Pennsylvania’s insurance law to correct this discrepancy and ensure that chemotherapy treatment, no matter how administered, is covered equally by insurance companies.

Present at the press conference:

• The Central PA Chapters of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
• Pennsylvania State Representative Frank Burns (prime sponsor of HB 623)
• PA Department of Health Secretary Avila
• Dr. David Claxton, Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute
• International Myeloma Foundation

For more information on Leukemia & Lymphoma, or other blood cancers visit the Central PA Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.