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House Insurance Committee advances bill requiring insurers to cover proton therapy for certain cancer patients
Summary
The House Insurance Committee moved forward Senate Bill 129, carried in the House by Representative Bamberg, which would require health insurers to cover proton therapy for indicated cancer patients; the panel adopted an amendment delaying the bill's effective date to Jan. 1, 2027, and advanced the measure by unanimous consent.
BATON ROUGE, La. — The House Insurance Committee on May 21 advanced Senate Bill 129, which would require health insurers to cover proton therapy for cancer patients, after supporters described the treatment as more targeted than traditional X-rays.
Proton therapy supporters told the committee the treatment deposits radiation at a specific depth, reducing exposure to surrounding tissue. "X-rays basically go all the way through the body and burn tissue and affect tissue outside of a specific area," Representative Bamberg said, adding, "This proton is like a laser that goes to a certain depth." Bamberg said he was carrying the bill for Senator Presley.
The bill's sponsor asked insurers to cover proton therapy through commercial insurance plans. Committee staff read an amendment that changes the bill's effective date from Jan. 1, 2026, to Jan. 1, 2027; the amendment was posted online and distributed to members as amendment set 3,262.
Supporters on the committee's public-register cards included Sherry Buffington of Willis-Knighton Health, Nick Watts with the Cancer Advanced Group of LA, Rochelle Dougs of Willis-Knighton Health, Alice Klein, Lauren Hayden and Liz Mangum. None of those listed asked to speak during the hearing.
Representative Hill described the therapy as "a less invasive treatment" and said he would "like to move favorable at the appropriate time." With no members objecting, the committee moved the bill and its amendment forward by unanimous consent. The committee record does not show a roll-call vote.
Senate Bill 129, as presented to the committee, requires health insurers to cover proton therapy for cancer patients for whom the treatment is indicated; it does not specify funding or enforcement mechanisms beyond the insurance coverage requirement presented at the hearing.
The committee's action advances the bill out of committee for further consideration under House rules.
