Brief⁽¹⁾

The bill would mandate any individual or group health plan which provides coverage for accident and health services, as well as any nonprofit medical and hospital service corporation, to include coverage for prostate cancer screening. The mandate would apply to all policies delivered, issued for delivery, amended, or renewed in Kansas after July 1, 1998.

Specifically, the bill would require insurance coverage of, at least, a prostate specific antigen blood test and a digital rectal examination for all men over 50 and for men over 40 who are symptomatic or in a high risk category. The bill provides that deductibles, coinsurance, and other limitations that apply to other covered services would apply to the prostate cancer screening.

Background

Senators Jones and Becker sponsored this bill after having personal experiences with prostate cancer. Both Senators testified in support of the bill at the Senate Committee hearing. Pursuant to K.S.A. 40-2248, which requires an impact report be submitted prior to the Legislature's consideration of any bill that mandates health insurance coverage for specific health services, Senator Jones presented a financial impact statement prepared by the Kansas Insurance Department. The Department reported that the majority of insurance companies polled predicted the bill would not affect their premium rates.

Other proponents of the bill included the Insurance Commissioner, a representative of the Kansas Public Health Association, Inc., and the Director of the Cancer Program at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Topeka.

A representative of the Kansas Association of Health Plans testified that while the Association fully supports preventative medicine, the Association opposes insurance mandates.

The fiscal note prepared by the Division of the Budget for the bill states that the bill would have no administrative or fiscal effect on the Insurance Department.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/fulltext-bill.html.