Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Cancer Screening topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Assembly health panel advances bill to eliminate follow‑up costs for lung cancer screening
Summary
SB 1309 would remove out‑of‑pocket costs for medically appropriate follow‑up after lung cancer screening. Survivors and clinical witnesses urged passage; insurers questioned whether eliminating follow‑up cost sharing addresses low initial screening rates and warned of premium impacts.
The Assembly Health Committee advanced SB 1309, the Stop Lung Cancer Early Act, which would eliminate patient cost sharing for medically appropriate follow‑up diagnostic services after an abnormal lung cancer screening.
Author Rubio said the bill aims to remove financial barriers that deter patients from completing diagnostic follow‑up. “This bill makes an essential change. It will remove financial barriers preventing patients from accessing life‑saving follow‑up care,” Rubio said (Rubio).
Clinicians and advocates urged support. Laura LaRose, a hematology‑oncology nurse practitioner, said early detection changes treatment options and survivors like Denise Lee described being saved by early screening. “When lung cancer is found earlier, patients often have more treatment options and a better chance at survival,” LaRose said (Laura LaRose). Denise Lee recounted that a covered low‑dose CT scan found her cancer at stage 1b and allowed effective treatment (Denise Lee).
Opponents — including the California Association of Health Plans and insurers — agreed that follow‑up services matter but questioned whether removing cost sharing would address very low initial screening uptake (cited in testimony at ~16.8% of eligible individuals). The insurers also flagged a projected premium impact and urged emphasis on outreach to increase initial screening rates.
Committee members acknowledged concerns about low screening take‑up and said the bill will move forward with consideration of complementary strategies to boost screening and outreach.
