The proposed bill, known as Governor's Bill No. 88, mandates that individual and group health insurance policies in Connecticut provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used during chemotherapy, effective January 1, 2027. A "scalp cooling system" is defined as a device intended for repeated medical use to cool the scalp and mitigate hair loss due to chemotherapy. The bill stipulates that the coverage for these systems must be at least equivalent to that provided under Medicare, and it prohibits policies from imposing more restrictive out-of-pocket expenses, such as coinsurance or copayments, than those applied to other benefits. However, high deductible health plans are exempt from certain deductible limits.

Additionally, the bill allows insurance policies to require prior authorization for scalp cooling systems, but mandates that such requirements must be consistent with those for other covered benefits. The bill aims to enhance access to scalp cooling technology for patients undergoing chemotherapy, thereby addressing a significant concern regarding hair loss associated with cancer treatment. The legal language for the new sections is inserted as "Section 1" and "Sec. 2," while the bill also includes a statement of purpose to implement the Governor's budget recommendations.