Sen. Lesser Leads Passage of Bill Requiring Medicaid Coverage of Biomarker Testing

Today, as Senate Chair of the Human Services Committee, State Senator Matt Lesser led passage of a proposal to require Medicaid coverage of biomarker testing, medical tests that allow providers to determine the best course of treatment for illnesses like cancer, Alzheimers, ALS among many others.

“Biomarker testing is an increasingly important part of medicine, as we move towards personalized medicine,” said State Sen. Matt Lesser. “This fast-evolving area allows providers to detect diseases early, better tailor treatments to specific individuals and pave a way for us to cure diseases including cancer. As a cancer survivor myself, biomarker testing has been incredibly valuable to me personally and making sure that new diagnostic tools are available to patients regardless of income is a valuable health equity tool. Moreover, by detecting diseases early and avoiding ineffective treatments, we expect to save taxpayer dollars.”

Senate Bill 307 requires the Department of Social Services (DSS), to the extent federal law allows, to provide coverage for biomarker testing to diagnose, treat, manage, or monitor a Medicaid enrollee’s disease or condition. The bill requires DSS to condition coverage on medical and scientific evidence.

The bill passed 36-0 and now heads to the House.