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Committee hears broad support for bill to require insurance coverage of biomarker testing
Summary
Testimony at the Aging Committee public hearing backed HB 6771 to require coverage for biomarker testing, with patients, clinicians and advocacy groups saying earlier, evidence‑based testing improves diagnosis and treatment options for cancer and dementia. Witnesses urged narrowly tailored coverage rules and cost safeguards.
State Senator Jeff Gordon and a range of patients, clinicians and advocacy groups told the Aging Committee on Feb. 20 that House Bill 6771, which would require private insurers to cover biomarker testing when medically appropriate, could speed diagnosis and expand access to personalized treatments.
The bill matters because biomarker tests can identify biological markers that guide treatment choices for cancers and, increasingly, for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. “This is a common sense bill,” State Senator Jeff Gordon said, adding that such tests help clinicians make timely, individualized treatment decisions.
Witnesses described specific patient benefits and urged guardrails. Natalie Queen, a Waterbury resident who said her brother’s…
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