All trials are different. A clinical trial’s sponsor will pay for experimental drugs. The clinical trial sponsor may be a drug company, the National Cancer Institute or a non-profit organization.
Your health insurance may be asked to pay for drugs that are FDA-approved and are included in the trial as well as tests, scans and doctor’s visits that you would need even if you were not on the trial.
Some states have laws that follow Medicare guidelines requiring insurance coverage of Routine Services during a clinical trial. However, not all states have laws that require coverage during cancer trials. Some laws only cover certain trials, certain drugs or have other stipulations. You are responsible for paying for all copays, deductibles, and anything your insurance does not cover. Only some trials offer drugs free of charge to the patient and to their insurance plan.
The purpose of the video is to communicate to patients, their families and health care providers information they may need to know about Phase I clinical trials at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
