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Senator Lesser, Representative Gilchrest, Senator Seminara, Representative Case, and members of the Human Services Committee, thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony in support of SB 307 AN ACT CONCERNING MEDICAID COVERAGE OF BIOMARKER TESTING.
My name is Jodie Gillon, and I am the President and CEO of BioCT. BioCT is a leading voice for the life science industry in Connecticut. Our mission is to catalyze and accelerate growth in the life sciences with the goal of improving human health, by fostering a rich, innovative ecosystem and promoting Connecticut as a preferred destination for life science exploration and innovation. Our members include life and healthcare science companies, major research universities and other academic institutions, health centers, medical device developers and manufacturers and other partners. We educate, cultivate entrepreneurship, support the growth of life science companies and collaborate to ensure a sustainable, high-value life science and healthcare community that improves our quality of life and keeps the Connecticut economy strong.
On behalf of our organization, I would like to voice my support for SB 307. Biomarker testing is a major scientific advancement leading to efficiencies and optimization in treatment as well as improved patient outcomes. In a new era of Oncology products that lead to increased survival with much better safety and tolerability than generalized chemo, leveraging data available through biomarkers enables finding the patients that will benefit from these advancements in time. In addition, data leveraged from biomarker testing will enable the next generation of precision Oncology treatments leading to even further advancements
This legislation would provide coverage for biomarker testing for the purpose of diagnosis, treatment, appropriate management or ongoing monitoring of a Medicaid enrollee’s disease or condition. The commissioner of Social Services shall condition such coverage on medical and scientific evidence supporting such test, including, but not limited to, (1) approval of such test by the federal Food and Drug Administration or recommendations on labels of drugs approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration to conduct such test, (2) national coverage determinations or local coverage determinations for Medicare Administrative Contractors by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or (3) nationally recognized clinical practice guidelines and consensus statements.
Additionally, The Commissioner of Social Services shall provide online access to a Medicaid enrollee and a Medicaid provider to a clear, readily accessible and convenient process to request an exception to a prior authorization requirement or other coverage policy provision for biomarker testing.
Biomarker testing can help providers detect, stage, or classify cancer. It can assess how quickly the cancer may grow or spread and help determine what targeted therapies are more or less likely to work. It can also assess a patient ’s risk of cancer and cancer recurrence; Biomarker testing helps patients obtain needed information about their cancer risk. It allows the patient to understand their type of cancer and allows them to make informed decisions about cancer treatment and prevention.
We have a societal obligation to ensure that Medicaid patients have access to the same advancements as those holding private insurance. This legislation would reduce disparities in health insurance coverage and would improve access to biomarker testing allowing the use of targeted therapies necessary to improve outcomes for cancer patients. Enactment of this bill would ensure insurance coverage in state Medicaid programs are up to date with new developments in testing. More people in Connecticut would have the opportunity to benefit from essential and proper treatment for their condition. This would save time and prevent costly, ineffective treatments in an effort to better a patient’s outcome.
I urge the committee to support SB 307.
Respectfully submitted,
Jodie Gillon
President & CEO, BioCT