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Kansas committee hears SB 409 to eliminate patient cost‑sharing for diagnostic breast imaging
Summary
Supporters, including the insurance commissioner and cancer advocacy groups, told the Senate Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee that eliminating cost‑sharing for medically necessary diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging will reduce delayed diagnoses; employer groups warned it could raise premiums for some plans. The committee closed the hearing without a vote.
The Senate Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee on Tuesday heard testimony on SB 409, a bill that would prohibit cost‑sharing for medically necessary diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging on policies issued, delivered, amended or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2027. The committee opened the hearing, received proponent and opponent testimony, and closed the hearing without taking a vote.
Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, speaking as both the state’s insurance regulator and a breast cancer survivor, urged the committee to support the measure. "I am living proof that early detection saves lives," Schmidt said, recounting her own diagnosis and saying the bill would help Kansans avoid choosing between their pocketbooks and potentially life‑saving care. Schmidt noted that many states, including Missouri, Oklahoma and Colorado, already require similar coverage and that the state employee health plan has provided the supplemental…
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