SB309 Alabama 2016 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Greg J. Reed

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2016

Title

Insurance, health benefit plans prohibited from charging higher copayment or deductible for orally administered and self administered anticancer drugs than for intravenous

Summary

SB309 would require health plans to charge the same cost-sharing for oral/self-administered anticancer drugs as for intravenous or injected anticancer drugs.

What This Bill Does

It bans higher copayments, deductibles, or coinsurance for patient-administered anticancer medications compared with intravenously administered medications. It applies to state-regulated health benefit plans that cover anticancer therapies, including both oral/self-administered and provider-administered forms. It prevents plans from circumventing the rule by increasing costs for IV drugs or by reclassifying anticancer benefits. The law would take effect on the first day of the third month after it becomes law.

Who It Affects

• Patients in Alabama enrolled in state-regulated health benefit plans who take anticancer medications, who would avoid higher out-of-pocket costs for oral/self-administered meds compared to IV meds.
• Health insurers and health benefit plans operating in Alabama, which would need to set equal cost-sharing and would be prohibited from increasing IV drug costs or reclassifying benefits to evade the rule.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits higher copayment, deductible, or coinsurance for patient-administered anticancer medications than for intravenous/injected medications, regardless of how the drug is formulated or categorized in the plan.
• Bars increasing costs for intravenously or injected anticancer medications that are covered by the health benefit plan as a way to circumvent the rule, and bars reclassifying anticancer benefits to avoid compliance.
• Defines anticancer medication and health benefit plan, and clarifies that plans issued or delivered in Alabama are subject even if domiciled outside the state.
• Sets the effective date: the act becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage and approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Health