The Access to Scalp Cooling Therapy Act of 2024 requires health insurance plans to cover scalp cooling devices, such as cooling caps and cold caps that prevent or reduce hair loss during chemotherapy, beginning January 1, 2025. The bill applies to private group and individual health plans, Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, TRICARE military coverage, and Veterans Affairs. Insurance plans must treat scalp cooling items the same as intravenous or injection anticancer drugs in terms of patient cost-sharing, meaning copayments, deductibles, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximums must match those for chemotherapy drugs. The legislation does not specify additional federal funding but rather mandates coverage requirements across all major federal and private insurance programs. States have until their next regular legislative session to update their Medicaid and CHIP programs to comply with the requirement.
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