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California Mandates Insurance for Cancer Hair Loss Treatment
21 Oct
Summary
- California law requires insurance coverage for scalp cooling starting January 2027.
- Scalp cooling reduces chemotherapy's hair loss side effect by limiting drug reach.
- The treatment can save patients thousands in out-of-pocket expenses.
Beginning January 2027, California patients undergoing chemotherapy will benefit from a new state law requiring insurance coverage for machine-based scalp-cooling treatments. This measure seeks to mitigate hair loss, a distressing side effect of cancer therapy.
One such treatment, utilized by breast cancer survivor Rebecca Dierssen, involves a cooling cap fitted over the scalp. This cap is connected to a machine that significantly lowers scalp temperature. The process is designed to reduce blood flow to hair follicles, thus limiting the absorption of chemotherapy drugs.
Dr. Shahzad Siddique notes that while most chemotherapy treatments cause substantial hair loss, scalp cooling can reduce this for many patients. California's AB 1682 ensures that systems like DigniCap and Paxman will be covered by insurance, potentially alleviating significant financial burdens for patients. Medicare already provides some coverage for these treatments.
