Florida Lawmakers Consider Bill to Cover Skin Cancer Screenings for Local Residents

Florida lawmakers are discussing a bill that would mandate certain insurers to cover skin cancer screening costs. This is an attempt to make screenings more affordable and accessible for residents. If approved, Florida would be the second state, and the first in the South, to provide such subsidized screenings. The estimated additional annual cost for insurance companies like UnitedHealth, Aetna, Florida Blue, and Capital Health Plan ranges from $357,580 to $416,503.

The bill was introduced due to the increasing number of skin cancer cases in Florida. In 2020, the state reported 7,313 melanoma cases, the most severe form of skin cancer, and 676 related deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The American Cancer Society predicts about 9,880 new melanoma cases and 790 deaths in 2024.

Reps. Ralph Massullo and Bobby Payne introduced the bill, which is due for a House vote. It mandates state group health insurance plans and health maintenance organizations to cover annual skin cancer screening costs for Florida residents, including state employees and their families. A similar bill by Sen. Gayle Harrell is also close to a final Senate vote.

Previous attempts to pass similar bills have been unsuccessful. Last year, Harrell and Massullo proposed bills that applied to all individual health insurers. The House version passed all committee stages but did not receive a floor vote. The Senate version stalled in the Banking and Insurance Committee. This year's bills, which only apply to state group health insurance plans and health maintenance organizations, have unanimously passed all committee stages.

The bill also prevents insurers or HMOs from imposing any cost-sharing requirements, such as deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance, for annual skin cancer screenings. Supporters, including the Florida Medical Association, Florida Academy of Dermatology, AARP, and other groups, argue that even minimal copay costs can discourage patients from annual screenings. They also believe that the bill could save insurers money in the long term by reducing the need for invasive treatments due to lack of preventative care.

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