Assemblyman Brian Maher (R,C-Walden) is urging Gov. Hochul to sign a bill that would require state-regulated health insurance plans, including Medicaid, to cover biomarker testing when supported by medical and scientific evidence.

Biomarker testing has become a revolutionary part of cancer care and determining the best treatment for other serious and life-threatening conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, preeclampsia, and Parkinson’s. Despite the proven benefits, many insurers fail to keep pace with innovations and advancements in biomarker testing. As a result, patients must decide whether to eat the cost or forego the life-saving testing, which has disproportionately impacted people of color, individuals with lower incomes, and rural communities.

“I am personally invested in this bill being signed into law, as I lost my grandmother Lucille Spina before I was born because early detection was not readily available,” said Maher. “However, my Aunt Rosa Garcia is a cancer survivor. My aunt and many others benefited from early detection and are alive today because of it. We have the opportunity to help countless others by signing this bill into law.”

“Biomarker testing saved my life twice,” said Tonya Addy, Orange County resident and cancer survivor. “As a survivor and a member of the American Cancer Society team, I have seen the remarkable evolution in care for patients. Biomarker testing helps pinpoint exactly how best to treat each cancer. It saves money and alleviates unnecessary treatment. Gov. Hochul, please sign this bill.”