Sen. Spiros Mantzavinos of Elsmere and leaders from the Alzheimer’s Association of Delaware and the American Cancer Society worked today to build support for SB120 which will help more people gain access to moderm medical technology to fight Alzheimer’s and Cancer.
Biomarker testing is not yet covered by insurance despite evidence that testing provides for earlier care, improves health outcomes, and reduces health care costs.
DOVER, Del. — Leaders from the Alzheimer’s Association and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network met with lawmakers from both political parties Tuesday morning at Legislative Hall to advocate for broader access to modern diagnostic technology, including biomarker testing, for Delaware patients.
The meetings focused on building support for Senate Bill 120, legislation sponsored by Senator Spiros Mantzavinos and Representative William Bush, which would require many Delaware health insurance plans to cover biomarker testing when supported by medical and scientific evidence.
Biomarker testing opens the door to personalized medicine, including targeted therapies that can improve health outcomes and reduce costs. Biomarker testing is also supported by the American Lung Association, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and the two organizations that organized the briefing today.
Advocates say the bill would help ensure patients across the state can access new diagnostic tools that are rapidly transforming care for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancer.
What Senate Bill 120 would do
Senate Bill 120, introduced during Delaware’s 153rd General Assembly, would require coverage of biomarker testing under a wide range of health insurance plans, including:
- Individual health insurance plans
- Employer group plans
- State employee health plans
- Public-assistance health plans connected to Medicaid
The coverage requirement would apply to policies issued, renewed, or modified after Dec. 31, 2026. Funding for the Bill was included in Governor Meyer’s FY2027 budget.
Biomarker testing includes laboratory and molecular diagnostic tests that identify biological signals in the body — such as proteins, genes, or other markers — that can help doctors diagnose disease and determine the most effective treatments.
The bill is currently assigned to the Senate Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology Committee, where lawmakers are expected to hear testimony from medical professionals, patient advocates, and insurance providers.
Why advocates say biomarker testing matters
Health advocates, including Glen Gray for the Alzheimer’s Association of Delaware, say biomarker testing has become a cornerstone of “precision medicine,” allowing physicians to diagnose Alzheimer’s care much earlier, before traditional symptoms are noticed.
For Alzheimer’s patients, new biomarker tests — including blood-based diagnostics — can detect disease-related changes in the brain earlier than traditional methods and help determine whether patients qualify for newly approved treatments.
For cancer patients, biomarkers can identify genetic or molecular features of tumors that determine which therapies are likely to work.
Supporters argue that insurance coverage has not kept pace with advances in medical science.
Without coverage mandates, advocates say patients may face thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs or have claims denied if insurers classify the tests as experimental.
Advocates also argue the technology could help reduce overall health care costs.
Studies show that diagnosing dementia based only on symptoms can lead to misdiagnosis rates of as high as 30% to 40%, often resulting in unnecessary medications, repeated specialist visits, and expensive imaging tests. Biomarker testing can confirm the underlying disease earlier and more accurately, helping physicians distinguish between Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia that require different care approaches. Supporters say that clarity can prevent years of costly trial-and-error treatment, reduce unnecessary prescriptions, and limit repeated diagnostic procedures.
They also note that newer blood-based biomarker tests are far less expensive than traditional diagnostic tools. Until recently, confirming Alzheimer’s disease often required a PET scan costing between $3,000 and $7,000 or an invasive spinal tap. Blood tests can provide similar diagnostic insight at a fraction of the cost and can often be ordered by primary-care physicians, reducing the need for specialist referrals. Advocates say earlier and more accurate diagnosis can also help prevent emergency hospital visits, reduce crisis-driven care decisions, and ensure that expensive new Alzheimer’s treatments are prescribed only to patients who are most likely to benefit.
A growing policy discussion in Delaware
The push for SB 120 reflects a broader national conversation about how state insurance policies should adapt to rapidly evolving medical technologies.
If enacted, Delaware would join a growing number of states that have adopted laws requiring insurance coverage for biomarker testing tied to evidence-based medical guidelines.
Advocates from both organizations said they plan to continue meeting with lawmakers in the coming months as the bill moves through the legislative process.
They argue that ensuring access to biomarker testing is essential to bringing modern, personalized medicine to patients across Delaware.
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