For more information about insurance coverage of clinical trial costs, see this feature's main page: States That Require Health Plans to Cover Patient Care Costs in Clinical Trials.

Agreement: Senate Bill 186

Effective: October 4, 2008

What clinical trials are covered?

Trials with therapeutic intent for patients with cancer that are approved by one of the following:

• U.S. National Institutes of Health or one of its cooperative groups or centers
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• U.S. Department of Defense
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Who is required to pay?

All health benefit plans, including public employee benefit plans.

Other key provisions:

Health insurers may exclude coverage for

• the service or product that is being tested in the clinical trial.
• any service or product not used in the direct clinical management of the patient.
• investigational drugs or devices not approved for marketing by the FDA.
• transportation, food, lodging, or other expenses of the patient or a family member or companion for travel to or from the facility conducting the clinical trial.
• services or products provided free of charge to patients by the clinical trial sponsors.
• services or products eligible for reimbursement by a party other than the health insurer, including the clinical trial sponsor .

State employees enrolled in the Ohio Med Plan continue to be covered (as they have been since 1999) for participation in National Cancer Institute-sponsored phase II and III cancer treatment clinical trials, provided that trial participation is preauthorized.