Private health insurers cover routine care for study participants

Research studies focused on cancer prevention and treatment often cover the cost of cancer therapies and related care as part of the study. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires most health plans to pay the routine care costs for patients who participate in clinical trials for the prevention, detection and treatment of cancer and other life-threatening conditions. Routine costs include services that your health insurer would typically pay if you were not in a clinical trial.

Grandfathered, short-term and catastrophic health plans are not required to abide by all of the ACA rules and may not cover routine care if you are enrolled in a clinical trial. For more information on the Affordable Care Act, visit healthcare.gov.

Visit the FORCE Research Study Search tool for information about studies on screening, prevention or treatment of hereditary cancers.