Cancer drug parity bill introduced in House

Reps. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.) and Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.) introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives the Cancer Drug Coverage Parity Act, which would require health insurance plans to provide coverage of oral chemotherapy at the same cost to patients as traditional chemotherapy. The sponsors expect the bill to be referred to the Energy and Commerce Committee subcommittee on health.

Higgins sponsored a similar bill in 2013 that never reached a House vote. Sens. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) also introduced a parity bill in the Senate in 2013 (see BioCentury Extra, May 3, 2013). ...