In casualty insurance, providing for coverage for scalp cooling systems.
Summary
HB2022 would amend Pennsylvania’s Insurance Company Law of 1921 to require health insurance policies that cover cancer chemotherapy treatment to also cover scalp cooling system treatment. The mandate applies to policies offering hospital, surgical, medical, major medical, or similar comprehensive coverage, and it specifically includes treatment using cold caps or refrigerated scalp cooling devices intended to reduce hair loss during chemotherapy.
The bill defines the types of insurance policies and insurers covered, and it excludes a range of limited-benefit or specialized policies such as accident-only, dental-only, vision-only, workers’ compensation, Medicare supplement, and certain federal military benefit plans. Coverage would be subject to the same deductible, copayment, and coinsurance rules that apply to chemotherapy treatment, so insurers could not impose separate or more restrictive cost-sharing for scalp cooling if they already cover chemotherapy care.
Impact
HB2022 would create a new mandated benefit in Pennsylvania insurance law by adding section 631.2 to the Insurance Company Law of 1921. It would require most health insurers regulated in the Commonwealth to cover scalp cooling systems when chemotherapy coverage is provided, and it would extend the requirement to certain managed care plans, including Medical Assistance and CHIP managed care plans, on a delayed schedule. The bill also sets phased applicability rules based on filing requirements and policy renewal dates, meaning the mandate would take effect for different plans at different times after enactment.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears supportive and straightforward rather than contentious. The measure is framed as a patient-access and supportive-care insurance mandate, suggesting a consumer- and cancer-care-oriented purpose. No opposition, amendments, or recorded roll-call votes are included in the available context.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided committee transcripts or voting history. Potential areas of debate, if raised, would likely involve the cost of adding a new mandated benefit for insurers, whether the coverage should extend to public programs such as Medicaid and CHIP managed care, and how broadly the definition of scalp cooling treatment should be applied. However, the supplied record does not show any identified opponents or disputed provisions.
Requires health insurance coverage of scalp cooling systems in connection with cancer chemotherapy treatment; requires physicians to inform patients of scalp cooling therapy.
Requires health insurance coverage of scalp cooling systems in connection with cancer chemotherapy treatment; requires physicians to inform patients of scalp cooling therapy.