SB0272 • 2026

Health Insurance - Scalp Cooling Systems - Required Coverage

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Senator Gile
Last action: 2026-04-14
Official status: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 51
Effective date: 2027-01-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Health Insurance - Scalp Cooling Systems - Required Coverage

Requiring certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, health maintenance organizations, and managed care organizations that provide coverage for chemotherapy to treat cancer to provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used for the preservation of hair in connection with chemotherapy treatment; and applying the Act to all policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the State on or after January 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

Requiring certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, health maintenance organizations, and managed care organizations that provide coverage for chemotherapy to treat cancer to provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used for the preservation of hair in connection with chemotherapy treatment; and applying the Act to all policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the State on or after January 1, 2027.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-04-14 Post Passage
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 51
2026-04-01 House
Favorable Report by Health
2026-03-25 House
Hearing canceled
2026-03-25 House
Hearing 3/26 at 2:00 p.m.
2026-03-17 House
Hearing 3/26 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-03-17 House
Third Reading Passed (127-6)
2026-03-16 House
Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
2026-03-16 Senate
Returned Passed
2026-02-17 House
Referred Health
2026-02-16 Senate
Favorable Report by Finance
2026-02-14 Senate
Third Reading Passed (43-0)
2026-02-12 Senate
Favorable Adopted
2026-02-12 Senate
Second Reading Passed
2026-01-21 Senate
Hearing 2/04 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-01-19 Senate
First Reading Finance
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Health Insurance - Scalp Cooling Systems - Required Coverage
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - Senate - Committee - Finance
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Third - Health Insurance - Scalp Cooling Systems - Required Coverage
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - House - Committee - Health
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Chapter - Health Insurance - Scalp Cooling Systems - Required Coverage

Official Summary Text

Requiring certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, health maintenance organizations, and managed care organizations that provide coverage for chemotherapy to treat cancer to provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used for the preservation of hair in connection with chemotherapy treatment; and applying the Act to all policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the State on or after January 1, 2027.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0272*

SENATE BILL 272
J5 6lr2542
CF HB 393
By: Senator Gile
Introduced and read first time: January 19, 2026
Assigned to: Finance
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 12, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Health Insurance – Scalp Cooling Systems – Required Coverage 2

FOR the purpose of requiring certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, health 3
maintenance organizations, and managed care organizations that provide coverage 4
for chemotherapy to treat cancer to provide coverage for scalp cooling systems; and 5
generally relating to the coverage of scalp cooling systems by health insurance 6
carriers. 7

BY adding to 8
Article – Insurance 9
Section 15–864 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2017 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14

Article – Insurance 15

15–864. 16

(A) IN THIS SECTION, “SCALP COOLING SYSTEM” MEANS A DEVICE USED TO 17
COOL THE HUMAN SCALP TO PREVENT OR REDUCE HAIR LOSS IN CONNECTION WITH 18
CHEMOTHERAPY TO TREAT CANCER THAT IS: 19
2 SENATE BILL 272

(1) DESIGNED AND INTENDED FOR REPEATED USE; AND 1

(2) PRIMARILY AND CUSTOMARILY USED TO SERVE A MEDICAL 2
PURPOSE. 3

(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO: 4

(1) INSURERS AND NONPROF IT HEALTH SERVICE PL ANS THAT 5
PROVIDE HOSPITAL, MEDICAL, OR SURGICAL BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS 6
ON AN EXPENSE –INCURRED BASIS UNDER HEALTH INSURANC E POLICIES OR 7
CONTRACTS THAT ARE ISSUED OR DELIVERED IN THE STATE; AND 8

(2) HEALTH MAINTENANCE O RGANIZATIONS THAT PR OVIDE 9
HOSPITAL, MEDICAL, OR SURGICAL BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS UNDER 10
CONTRACTS THAT ARE ISSUED OR DELIVERED IN THE STATE. 11

(C) AN ENTITY SUBJECT TO THIS SECTION THAT PROVIDES COVERAGE FOR 12
CHEMOTHERAPY TO TREA T CANCER SHALL PROVI DE COVERAGE FOR SCAL P 13
COOLING SYSTEMS USED FOR THE PRESERVATION OF HAIR IN CONNECTIO N WITH 14
THE CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT. 15

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED , That this Act shall apply to all 16
policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the State on or 17
after January 1, 2027. 18

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 19
January 1, 2027. 20

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.