Miss. Senate OKs bill to stop higher co-pay for oral cancer drug
In a passionate plea in support of the bill, state Sen. Brice Wiggins, R-Pascagoula, recounted that his wife was diagnosed with cancer about three weeks ago.
“I reluctantly stands at this podium,” Wiggins said. “Many of you know what I have been through over the last three or four weeks…You can talk about philosophy, but when it affects you, it’s different. It hits you like a ton of bricks.”
Wiggins said thoughts of how they would pay for cancer treatment entered his mind when they received the diagnoses. His wife is employed and has good insurance, but Wiggins said what about people in the state who don’t have a job. How can they pay for cancer treatment? He asked.
“I support the private market and capitalism, but when I sat in that room three weeks ago, I wanted all the options,” Wiggins said of his support for the bill.
House Bill 952 was approved by the Senate, but it amended, meaning the bill will have to go to a House-Senate conference committee. If the bill is reported out of the conference committee, it would have to come back to the House and Senate for passage once again.
Clarion Ledger
3/11/15
Magnolia Tribune
