Health Insurance - Scalp Cooling Systems - Required Coverage
HB0393 requires certain Maryland health insurers, nonprofit health service plans, health maintenance organizations, and managed care organizations to cover scalp cooling systems when they already provide coverage for chemotherapy to treat cancer. The bill defines a scalp cooling system as a reusable medical device used to cool the scalp to help prevent or reduce hair loss associated with chemotherapy.
The coverage mandate applies to policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in Maryland on or after January 1, 2027. In practical terms, the bill adds a new insurance coverage requirement to the Maryland Insurance Article and ties the obligation to existing chemotherapy coverage, rather than creating a standalone benefit for all plans.
The bill adds new Section 15-864 to the Maryland Insurance Article, creating a statutory requirement that specified insurers and health plans cover scalp cooling systems when they cover chemotherapy. It affects health insurers, nonprofit health service plans, HMOs, and managed care organizations operating in Maryland, and it applies prospectively to new, delivered, or renewed coverage beginning January 1, 2027.
The available record shows no committee transcript, recorded votes, or other debate excerpts, so there is no documented opposition or support to characterize from the provided materials. The bill’s enactment and approval by the Governor indicate it ultimately received sufficient legislative and executive support to become law.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Based on the bill’s subject matter, any potential debate would likely have centered on the cost of mandating coverage, whether scalp cooling is medically necessary or primarily cosmetic, and how the requirement would affect premiums or plan design, but those concerns are not reflected in the supplied transcripts or votes.