SB309 Summary

• Prohibits state-regulated health benefit plans from requiring higher copayments, deductibles, or coinsurance for patient-administered anticancer medications (including oral and self-injected) than for intravenously administered or injected anticancer medications.

• Applies to any health benefit plan issued or delivered in Alabama, including HMOs, PPOs, and other entities providing group or individual health care coverage.

• Excludes accident-only, specified disease, dental-only, Medicare-supplement, long-term care, and workers' compensation insurance from the requirement.

• Prohibits health benefit plans from circumventing the requirement by increasing cost-sharing amounts for intravenous or injected chemotherapy drugs or by reclassifying anticancer benefits.

• Becomes effective on the first day of the third month following passage and approval by the Governor.