Montana § 33-22-2101 - Legislative Findings -- Purpose

§ 33-22-2101. Legislative Findings -- Purpose

Legislative findings -- purpose. (1) The legislature finds that young Montanans who are diagnosed with cancer often learn, shortly before they are to begin the medical treatment needed to save their lives, that the treatment may result in infertility, leaving them only a small window of time in which to decide whether to undergo medically necessary efforts to preserve their ability to have biological families. (2) The legislature further finds that future fertility is a top quality of life priority for many young cancer patients and that the possibility of infertility may cause significant distress and grief during a time when cancer patients are also facing not only their diagnoses but also the prospects of treatment that may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination of those approaches. (3) The legislature further finds that fertility preservation is medically necessary and considered part of the standard of care for age-eligible oncology patients. (4) It is the intent of this part to ensure that fertility preservation services for cancer patients are covered by insurance plans in the same manner as other medically necessary care and that cancer patients are made aware of the options for fertility preservation services.