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HB 1495

Health Insurance - Screening for Ovarian Cancer - Required Coverage and Prohibited Cost Sharing

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Pam Guzzone and 2 co-sponsors

Maryland bill would mandate insurance coverage of ovarian cancer screening without patient cost-sharing, though medical guidelines lack consensus on routine screening effectiveness for average-risk populations.

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Bill Summary · HB 1495

Legislative bill overview

HB 1495 would have required health insurance plans in Maryland to cover ovarian cancer screening without any cost-sharing (copays, coinsurance, or deductibles) for covered individuals. The bill aimed to ensure financial barriers do not prevent access to this preventive screening service.

Why is this important

Ovarian cancer has one of the lowest survival rates among gynecologic cancers, partly because it's often detected at advanced stages. Removing financial barriers to screening could potentially increase early detection rates, though the effectiveness and appropriate target population for ovarian cancer screening remains medically debated.

Potential points of contention

  • Medical evidence uncertainty: Major organizations like the American Cancer Society and USPSTF do not recommend routine ovarian cancer screening for average-risk women due to insufficient evidence of benefit and high false-positive rates, which may make mandated coverage controversial among healthcare providers and insurers
  • Cost implications: Insurance coverage mandates increase premium costs across plans, which may be passed to employers and consumers, raising questions about cost-benefit tradeoffs
  • Scope of mandate: The bill's specific screening criteria (age, risk factors, screening method) were unclear in available documentation, creating ambiguity about who qualifies and what tests are covered

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

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