Clinicians Applaud New Law Protecting Patients' Access to Biomarker Testing

Precision medicine legislation paves the way for patients to access life-saving testing and treatment 

WASHINGTON, June 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Patients in Florida soon may have increased access to biomarker testing and targeted treatments thanks to Governor Ron DeSantis, who signed HB 885 into law today. The Alliance for Patient Access applauds the governor's signing of the legislation, as well as Senator Alexis Calatayud and Representative Karen Gonzalez Pittman for sponsoring the bill.

The legislation requires health insurance plans to cover biomarker testing for the purposes of diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, management and disease monitoring.

Biomarker Testing Allows for Precise Treatment

Biomarker tests let health care professionals identify the specific cause of a condition down to the cell. With a precise understanding of a patient's condition, health care providers can develop a treatment path tailored to a patient's specific needs. Biomarker tests are often considered part of precision medicine, an individualized treatment approach that leads to optimal health outcomes.

Getting the right treatment swiftly can help patients limit their disease progression and avoid less desirable treatments.

But barriers like coverage and utilization management can block patients and providers from accessing these life-saving tests and their targeted follow-on treatments.

Learn more about the value of precision medicine and biomarker testing in this Q&A document.

STATEMENT FROM BRUCE RUBIN, MD, PRACTICING NEUROLOGIST IN MIAMI AND MEMBER OF THE ALLIANCE FOR PATIENT ACCESS: "This legislation is a commendable step to support patient-centered health care policies. It acknowledges the critical role of precision medicine in modern health care and frees clinicians to incorporate advanced medical technologies as part of everyday care."

About the Alliance for Patient Access

The Alliance for Patient Access is a network of policy-minded health care providers who advocate for patient-centered care.

SOURCE Alliance for Patient Access