HB 18-1148

House Bill 18-1148, also known as the Stage Four Advanced Metastatic Cancer Step Therapy bill, stops health insurance companies from requiring patients with stage four cancer to try less effective treatments before they can access a drug that is best for their condition and approved by the FDA. This means that if a doctor recommends a specific medication based on what’s considered the most effective treatment, the insurance company must cover it immediately without forcing the patient through other steps first. The bill has been signed into law, so it will now protect cancer patients in Colorado from unnecessary delays in their treatment.

Official Summary

The bill prohibits a carrier that issues a health benefit plan that covers treatment for stage four advanced metastatic cancer from requiring a cancer patient to undergo step therapy prior to receiving a drug approved by the United States food and drug administration if use of the approved drug is consistent with best practices for treatment of the cancer and as long as the drug is on the carrier's prescription drug formulary. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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