Bill: Chemo patients would be insured, have access to oral treatments

The fight for chemotherapy drugs is unfolding at the State Capitol with a public hearing on the Cancer Treatment Fairness Act.

Cancer patients say too often they learn the hard way that the treatment their doctor is recommending is not covered by insurance.

The public weighed in on the act Wednesday that would ensure that patients signed up for chemotherapy will also be covered and have access to oral treatments.

“We have developed a lot of oral chemo treatments that are as good, if not better, for types of cancer so we are saying that if you are getting chemo treatment, it shouldn’t matter what form you’re getting it in,” said Rep. Pat Strachota, R-West Bend.

Similar bills have been passed by 26 other states.