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Bill

HB 633

Health Insurance - Ovarian Cancer Prevention With Salpingectomy - Required Coverage

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Heather Bagnall Tudball and 15 co-sponsors

Maryland would require insurers to fully cover salpingectomy (fallopian tube removal) as ovarian cancer prevention without patient cost-sharing.

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Bill Summary · HB 633

Legislative bill overview

HB 633 requires health insurance plans in Maryland to cover salpingectomy (surgical removal of fallopian tubes) as a preventive measure against ovarian cancer without cost-sharing requirements like copays or deductibles. The bill treats this procedure similarly to other preventive health services that insurers must cover at no out-of-pocket expense to patients.

Why is this important

Ovarian cancer has high mortality rates partly because it's often diagnosed at advanced stages. Salpingectomy removes a primary site where ovarian cancers originate, making it a potentially significant preventive option for high-risk individuals. Removing cost barriers could increase access to this preventive procedure and reduce overall cancer burden, though eligibility criteria would be important to clarify.

Potential points of contention

  • Medical necessity debate: Whether salpingectomy qualifies as preventive care versus elective surgery, and which patients should be eligible (genetic predisposition only, or broader populations)
  • Insurance cost implications: Mandating coverage without cost-sharing increases premiums for all insureds; insurers may argue this shifts costs to subscribers rather than preventing them
  • Fertility and reproductive autonomy concerns: Permanent nature of the procedure raises questions about informed consent, age restrictions, and whether insurance mandates might pressure certain populations toward surgical sterilization

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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