HB 818: Regards insurance, Medicaid coverage of scalp cooling systems
<p>The bill requires health insurance policies and public employee benefit plans that cover cancer chemotherapy treatments to also provide coverage for scalp cooling systems designed to prevent or reduce hair loss during treatment. It mandates this coverage for individual, group, and sickness and accident insurance policies issued in Ohio, as well as for the state's Medicaid program.</p>
| May. 13, 2026 | Referred to committee: Insurance |
| Apr. 13, 2026 | Introduced |
As Introduced
136th General Assembly
Regular Session
H. B. No. 818
2025-2026
Representative Ritter
To enact sections 1751.64, 3923.66, 3923.67, and 15164.11 of the Revised Code regarding insurance and Medicaid coverage of scalp cooling systems for individuals receiving cancer chemotherapy treatments.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 1751.64, 3923.66, 3923.67, and 5164.11 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 1751.64. (A) As used in 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.
(B) Notwithstanding section 3901.71 of the Revised Code, every individual or group health insuring corporation policy, contract, or agreement providing basic health care services that is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state, if the policy, contract, or agreement provides coverage for cancer chemotherapy treatment, shall provide benefits for the expense of a scalp cooling system.
Sec. 3923.66. (A) As used in this section and section 3923.67 of the Revised Code, "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.
(B) Notwithstanding section 3901.71 of the Revised Code, every policy of individual or group sickness and accident insurance that is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state, if the policy provides coverage for cancer chemotherapy treatment, shall provide benefits for the expense of a scalp cooling system.
Sec. 3923.67. Notwithstanding section 3901.71 of the Revised Code, every public employee benefit plan that is established or modified in this state, if the plan provides coverage for cancer chemotherapy treatment, shall provide benefits for the expense of a scalp cooling system.
Sec. 5164.11. The medicaid program shall cover scalp cooling systems for medicaid recipients who undergo cancer chemotherapy treatment. The medicaid director may adopt rules authorized under section 5164.02 of the Revised Code as necessary to implement this section.
As used in this section, "scalp cooling system" has the same meaning as in section 1751.64 of the Revised Code.