California Cancer Care Equity Act - SB987 (Portantino)

Summary:

SB 987 (Portantino) would require Medi-Cal Managed Care plans to provide enrollees who receive a complex cancer diagnosis with timely access to an NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Need for bill:

• Cancer care is evolving at a pace that has resulted in dramatic changes to the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

• NCI-Designated Cancer Centers meet rigorous standards in state-of-the-art research that focuses on new and better approaches to cancer care.

• Patients treated by an NCI-Designated Cancer Center have increased number of survival outcomes.

• Many patients with cancer are incurable with FDA-approved care technologies, therefore Phase I, II, III, and IV clinical trials play an essential role in the care of patients with cancer.

• The impact of these care disparities is greater for patients who are Medi-Cal beneficiaries, especially those who come from underserved communities.

• Medi-Cal patients with a diagnosis of breast, colon, lung, and rectal cancer are more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage of disease and have less favorable 5-year outcomes.

• Patients who receive care from designated specialists saw a 53% reduction in mortality.

• Our current one-size-fits-most system prevents too many California cancer patients from accessing optimal care, and too many of our poor and underserved Californians do not have access to the care they need.

What will SB 987 do?

SB 987 will level the playing field for Medi-Cal patients with a complex cancer diagnosis and improve survival outcomes by guaranteeing access to a NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.

View the SB987 factsheet here.