Kansas Senate Bill SB409

Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/28/26
• Refer: 1/29/26
• Report Pass: 2/10/26

Caption

Requiring that a no cost-sharing requirement be imposed on insureds for diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations for breast cancer.

Summary

SB 409 would require most Kansas health insurance policies and related health coverage arrangements to cover diagnostic breast examinations and supplemental breast examinations without any cost-sharing by the insured. The bill defines these exams to include imaging and related breast-diagnostic procedures such as diagnostic mammography, breast MRI, breast ultrasound, digital breast tomosynthesis, contrast-enhanced mammography, and molecular breast imaging when used to evaluate a suspected abnormality or to assess elevated breast cancer risk, including dense breasts or a personal/family history of breast cancer. The mandate would apply to individual and group health insurance policies, medical service plans, hospital and medical service corporation contracts, fraternal benefit societies, and HMOs delivered, issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027. The bill also includes an exception framework for HSA-qualified high-deductible health plans, preserving federal tax-qualification requirements while carving out preventive-care coverage as allowed under federal law. It further states that certain Kansas insurance provisions governing cost-sharing limits do not apply to this section.

Impact

SB 409 would amend Kansas insurance law by creating a new coverage requirement for breast cancer-related diagnostic and supplemental imaging and by prohibiting deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance for those services in most covered plans. The practical effect would be to shift the cost of these exams from patients to insurers for a broad range of health coverage products, while preserving an exemption structure for HSA-qualified plans to avoid conflict with federal high-deductible health plan rules. The bill would affect insurers, HMOs, hospital service corporations, and insured individuals who need follow-up breast imaging or risk-based supplemental screening.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the materials provided. Based on the bill’s subject matter and structure, the measure appears aimed at reducing financial barriers to breast cancer detection and follow-up care, which typically draws favorable public-health sentiment. However, because no discussion or vote history is included, the level of legislative consensus or concern cannot be determined from the provided context.

Contention

The main potential point of contention is the insurance mandate itself, particularly the requirement that insurers cover these exams with no cost-sharing, which can raise premium and utilization concerns for carriers and employers. Another likely issue is the interaction with HSA-qualified high-deductible health plans, since the bill must preserve federal tax treatment while still expanding coverage. The bill also specifies that existing Kansas cost-sharing statutes do not apply, which may prompt questions about how broadly the new mandate overrides current insurance cost-sharing rules and how it will be implemented by different types of coverage.