
4 Apr 2024
Great news for both healthcare providers and residents in California!
Soon, Pharmacogenomic (PGx) Biomarker testing will be covered for all Californians.
Great news for both healthcare providers and residents in California! Soon, Pharmacogenomic (PGx) Biomarker testing will be covered for all Californians, thanks to the recent mandate outlined in California Senate Bill No. 496, Chapter 401, Section 10123.209 SEC. 2. e. *
Commencing from July 1, 2024, Pharmacogenomic (PGx) biomarker testing will become a reimbursable benefit accessible to all Californians, irrespective of their insurance provider. It's worth noting that PGx testing is already included as a covered benefit for Medicare patients. PGx testing also delves into the realm of understanding how genetic diversities in the human genome govern an individual's reactions to medications. A noteworthy study revealed that over 99% of individuals examined possessed a genotype linked to a heightened risk with at least one medication.
State Senator Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara), the legislator behind the bill, stated: “Biomarker testing can help health care providers render the right treatment at the right time and is increasingly important for cancer care and the treatment of diseases like arthritis and other autoimmune and rare diseases. With research happening in other areas, biomarkers may be available in the future to treat Alzheimer’s, neurological conditions, and more.”
Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing, also referred to as pharmacogenomic biomarker testing, forms an integral part of precision medicine. It involves analyzing a patient's inherited genes by MyEngene to identify variations that might influence how a medication is metabolized, absorbed, and utilized by the body. PGx testing provides invaluable insights into how genetic factors affect an individual's response to medications. Armed with this knowledge, MyEngene can customize medication plans according to an individual's genetic predispositions.
This press release ** from the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network emphasizes the significance of biomarker testing in enabling healthcare providers to administer precise treatment promptly. It underscores the growing importance of such testing not only in cancer care but also in addressing conditions like arthritis, as well as other autoimmune and rare diseases.
* https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB496
** https://www.fightcancer.org/releases/governor-newsom-signs-game-changing-legislation-aimed-improving-health-outcomes-quality
Governor Newsom Signs Game-Changing Legislation Aimed at Improving Health Outcomes, Quality of Life for Californians
CANCER ADVOCATES APPLAUD GOV. NEWSOM FOR SIGNING THE BIPARTISAN BILL TO ENSURE MORE PATIENTS CAN ACCESS BIOMARKER TESTING THAT CAN CONNECT THEM TO THE RIGHT TREATMENT AT THE RIGHT TIME
October 7, 2023
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California Governor Gavin Newsom announced he has signed Senate Bill 496 on Saturday, ensuring that more health insurance plans, including Medi-Cal, cover comprehensive biomarker testing when supported by medical and scientific evidence. The bill, sponsored by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and the University of California, received strong, bipartisan support throughout the legislative process.
“We thank the Legislature and Governor Newsom for taking this crucial step to turn the promise of precision medicine into a reality for more Californians. A longstanding leader in health equity and medical innovation, California joins twelve other states that have enacted similar legislation,” said Dr. Karen E. Knudsen, CEO of ACS CAN. “This action ensures California continues to pave the way for the fight against cancer and other chronic diseases and will improve access to the most effective treatments – including those in clinical trials – giving patients a better chance of living longer, healthier lives.”
“People of color, individuals with limited income, and rural residents are less likely to receive biomarker testing,” said Autumn J. Ogden-Smith, California Legislative Director for ACS CAN. “Improving coverage for biomarker testing across insurance types prevents patients from being forced to pay out-of-pocket, incur debt, or go without this game-changing testing, and is fundamental to reducing health disparities as precision medicine grows.”
Testing for specific biomarkers – such as gene mutations – found in blood, tissues or other biospecimens – is the key to unlocking precision medicine, including targeted therapies, that often improve survivorship and quality of life for cancer patients and others with chronic diseases.
“Biomarker testing can help health care providers render the right treatment at the right time and is increasingly important for cancer care and the treatment of diseases like arthritis and other autoimmune and rare diseases. With research happening in other areas, biomarkers may be available in the future to treat Alzheimer’s, neurological conditions, and more,” said State Senator Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara), the author of the legislation. “This bill removes barriers to precision medicine and can potentially reduce overall health care costs by avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations and treatments.”
Punita Khanna, a breast cancer survivor, bypassed chemotherapy thanks to her biomarker testing results indicating a low risk of recurrence.
“I had to undergo radiation and hormone therapy, which produced its own side effects – such as excruciating bone and joint pain – but nothing like what I might have experienced if I had to undergo chemotherapy,” said Khanna.
Clinical trials fuel medical innovation and the development of new cancer treatments and are increasingly driven by biomarker testing, which facilitates participation by helping identify eligible patients. Nearly 60% of all cancer drugs approved in the last five years require or recommend biomarker testing before use.
“In July 2021, I was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer after developing symptoms that I thought were from COVID. Within weeks, I could barely stand and would go unconscious and wake up in an ambulance. I went on chemotherapy, and it was doing more damage. My family and I were preparing for my imminent death,” said César Serrano. “Then, I received the biomarker testing results that led doctors to the treatment that saved my life. It was truly a miracle.”
For more information on precision medicine, cancer biomarkers, current barriers to biomarker testing and ACS CAN’s policy recommendations, visit www.fightcancer.org/biomarkers.