NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Gov. Bill Lee signed House Bill 0484 into law Friday, thereby increasing access to biomarker testing for Tennesseans enrolled in state employee health insurance plans and TennCare. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) thanks lawmakers for their support of the bill, which will be a game-changer for thousands of Tennesseans.
The legislation is an important step in the effort to ensure all Tennesseans have access to the right treatment at the right time. While it stops short of requiring coverage for health insurance plans on the private marketplace, this bill will help hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans.
“We truly appreciate lawmakers’ attention to this important issue for countless Tennesseans. At ACS CAN, we want to make sure no one is left behind in the fight to end cancer, and we look forward to working with them in the future to further expand access to biomarker testing for more state-regulated health insurance plans,” said Maddie Michael, ACS CAN Tennessee government relations director.
Biomarker testing is a key tool used by physicians to inform treatment for cancer and other diseases, including Alzheimer’s and arthritis.
“Biomarker testing has been instrumental in my treatment paths for both rheumatoid arthritis and breast cancer,” said Beth Madison of Jackson. “I am proud to have advocated for this bill and urge lawmakers to further expand access to biomarker testing in the future.”
Lung cancer survivor Stephen Huff of College Grove also shared his story with legislators throughout the session.
“This is the single most important thing that kept me alive this long,” Huff said. “We always dreamed of having a family, and with my diagnosis, we weren’t sure if it would ever be possible. Biomarker testing and precision medicine helped make that possible and has given me more time to be here with my wife and two kids.”
The Volunteer State became the 24th state to pass legislation expanding coverage of biomarker testing this year, following in the footsteps of neighboring states like Georgia, Kentucky and Mississippi. Estimates show nearly 45,000 Tennesseans will receive a cancer diagnosis this year.