Webinar: Navigating State Biomarker Legislation

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A wave of legislation has passed in statehouses across the country requiring insurance coverage of biomarker testing. These bills have wide-ranging implications that are unfolding in real-time as they are enacted into law. They offer both the promise of expanded access to clinically valuable testing for patients as well as challenges and uncertainties related to implementation, compliance, and their ultimate impact on patient care.

In this webinar, panelists from Tempus, Foley Hoag, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana (BCBSLA) discuss efforts to provide patients with affordable, evidence-based, clinically appropriate testing in the context of this emerging legislation.

The discussion will include:

• Background on key issues, including the growing use of biomarker testing in clinical care,
• The details of the legislation and the landscape of bills passed and pending, and
• Efforts to interpret and comply with the new laws, while also controlling costs and ensuring that testing is evidence-based and clinically appropriate, especially by health insurers.

Who should attend:

• Health plans seeking perspectives on how to interpret and respond to the new legislation, ensuring coverage of biomarker testing is compliant, clinically appropriate, and cost-effective
• Providers and patient advocates seeking to understand the implications of the new legislation for the clinical care of the patients they serve
• Diagnostic laboratories seeking to understand implications for the development and delivery of biomarker tests
• Policymakers and government relations professionals looking to stay up to date with legislative efforts in this space

 

Suzanne Belinson, PhD, MPH
VP, Commercial Markets
Tempus

Dr. Suzanne Belinson is Vice President of Commercial Markets at Tempus Labs Inc. Tempus is a technology company focused on AI-enabled diagnostics. With the world’s largest library of clinical and molecular data and an operating system to make that data accessible and useful, Tempus enables real-time, data-driven decisions to deliver personalized patient care, and in parallel, facilitate discovery, development and delivery of optimized therapeutic options for patients through distinctive solution sets. At Tempus she leads the commercial markets team whose primary responsibilities are market access, evidence development and execution of partnerships with organizations aiming to improve healthcare value and outcomes.

Previously, Dr. Belinson served as Executive Director, Clinical Markets, at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association where she led the sales and market development as well as day to day operations of Evidence Street.

Dr. Belinson received her bachelor’s degree from Cleveland State University, a Masters in Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh, and a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 

Judy Mouchawar, MD, MSPH
Medical Director
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

Dr. Judy Mouchawar is a Medical Director in the Office of Clinical Affairs of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Previously, Dr. Mouchawar held Medical Director roles at Aetna and Blue Cross of Idaho. She is board-certified in Preventive Medicine and fellowship trained in Cancer Genetics and Cancer Prevention. Additionally, she is a board-certified genetic counselor. She graduated from McGill University Medical School and completed her post-graduate training at the University of Colorado.

 

Erik Schulwolf, JD
Associate
Foley Hoag

Erik Schulwolf specializes in advising cutting-edge life sciences companies on reimbursement and compliance issues related to their products. His practice involves extensive work with molecular diagnostic laboratories and manufacturers of diagnostic tests on issues including reimbursement from government and private payers, compliance with fraud and abuse and federal price reporting laws, and advocacy with federal and state agencies. Erik also provides reimbursement, compliance, and federal and state government strategies advice to pharmaceutical manufacturers and providers.

 

Larry Simon, MD, MBA
Managing Medical Director for Medical Policy and Medical Appeals
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana

Dr. Larry Simon is the Managing Medical Director for Medical Policy and Medical Appeals for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana (BCBSLA), where he also serves as the Medical Director for Coding and Reimbursement and Chair of the Credentialing and Medical Quality Management Committees. He is a member of the AMA CPT Editorial Panel, serving on the Executive Committee and as Co-Chair of the Molecular Pathology Advisory Group and Genomic Sequencing Procedures Workgroup. He also chairs the Medical Director’s Forum for both the Louisiana Association of Health Plans and the National Anti-Fraud Advisory Board of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Prior to joining BCBSLA, Dr. Simon served in numerous leadership roles for the American Academy of Otolaryngology, the American Medical Association, the American College of Surgeons, and the Louisiana State Medical Society.

Dr. Simon is an alumnus of Louisiana State University, Baylor College of Medicine, Rady Children’s Hospital, and the BI Moody College of Business Administration at the University of Louisiana. A diplomate of the American Board of Otolaryngology and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Dr. Simon has over 15 years of experience in Health Policy and Healthcare Reform, and he has presented over 170 lectures and seminars on these topics.

A Rotarian, an animal rescuer, a member of multiple civic boards, and a patron of the arts, Dr. Simon enjoys spending his time outside of work serving his community, helping the animal shelters and abandoned dogs of Louisiana, and traveling and enjoying life with his wife and their family and friends.

 

Gillian Hooker, PhD, ScM, CGC (moderator)
Chief Scientific Officer
Concert Genetics

Dr. Gillian Hooker is Concert’s Chief Scientific Officer and the past President of the National Society of Genetic Counselors. She also serves as an adjunct Associate Professor with the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and leads the Research arm of the Vanderbilt Genetic Counseling Training Program. Applying her background in molecular and clinical genetics, genetic counseling and behavioral science, she is committed to overcoming the barriers to effective translation of genome science at the patient, provider and system levels. As a researcher in academic and government settings, Dr. Hooker has worked with numerous transdisciplinary teams on the front lines of genomics, developing and evaluating methods for delivering genomic information to patients and their providers. Having served as the associate director of a genetic counseling training program, she also brings significant experience in genetics education and outreach.

Dr. Hooker completed her doctoral degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale University and her masters degree in Genetic Counseling at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health / National Human Genome Research Institute Genetic Counseling Training Program. She grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan and attended Kalamazoo College.