House 2906

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2025 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 2906

By Delegates Hall and Young

[Introduced February 24, 2025; referred to the Committee on Finance]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding two new sections, designated §33-15-4a and §33-16-3a, relating to insurance; and providing health insurance coverage for scalp cooling systems for the preservation of hair during cancer chemotherapy treatment.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 15. ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE.

§33-15-4a. Required coverage for scalp cooling system for cancer chemotherapy treatment.

Any insurer who delivers or issues a policy of accident or sickness insurance in this state under the provisions of this article and provides coverage for cancer chemotherapy treatment shall provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used in connection with cancer chemotherapy treatment. Coverage provided under this section may be subject to annual deductibles and coinsurance, including copayments, as may be deemed appropriate by the commissioner and as are consistent with those established for other benefits within a given policy.

For the purpose of this section, "scalp cooling system" means any device used to cool the

human scalp to prevent or reduce hair loss during cancer chemotherapy treatment, provided that such device is designed and intended for repeated use and is primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose.

ARTICLE 16. GROUP ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE.

§33-16-3a. Required coverage for scalp cooling system for cancer chemotherapy treatment.

Any insurer who delivers or issues a policy of accident or sickness insurance in this state under the provisions of this article and provides coverage for cancer chemotherapy treatment shall provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used in connection with cancer chemotherapy treatment.  Coverage provided under this section may be subject to annual deductibles and coinsurance, including copayments, as may be deemed appropriate by the commissioner and as are consistent with those established for other benefits within a given policy.

For the purpose of this section, "scalp cooling system" means any device used to cool the

human scalp to prevent or reduce hair loss during cancer chemotherapy treatment, provided that such device is designed and intended for repeated use and is primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide health insurance coverage for scalp cooling systems or the preservation of hair during cancer chemotherapy treatment.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.