Bill Requiring Insurance Companies To Cover Fertility Treatment For Cancer Patients, Survivors Passed By Oklahoma House

A bill that requires insurance companies to cover fertility treatments for women who have had cancer was unanimously passed by the Oklahoma House on Monday.

The bill is called “Corinne’s Law," named after Corinne Dinges, who battled Ewing’s Sarcoma for three years before passing away in 2021. 

For many women, having a family at some point is very important, but in some cases, life can get in the way of that.

That’s what happened to Corinne, who was in residency as an OBGYN when she received her cancer diagnosis.

“I think it was shocking," said Erin Fitzpatrick, a close friend of Corinne’s.

“We became a lot like family over the years,” she said. 

So, she was right by her side when Corinne decided to freeze her eggs before starting treatment.

“She was so proud of how many eggs she got. She called them her little joys,” she said. 

Carly Kirkland has a similar story to Corinne's.

She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in 2020 and says soon after, Corinne reached out to her, knowing cancer treatments can affect fertility. 

"I would like to think that I would’ve been told to freeze my eggs, but she was the reason why I knew that was even an option,” she said. 

Carly then began her fertility journey…but was frustrated after paying nearly $20,000 out of pocket to freeze her eggs.

She says that's what inspired her to partner with Erin to push for a law in Corinne's memory. Corinne's law would mandate health insurance plans to cover fertility preservation services for cancer patients and survivors in Oklahoma.

“We just want to remove the barrier of cost as much as possible,” said Kirkland. 

Two and a half years later, both the House and the Senate passed the bill, which both Carly and Erin say would make Corinne proud.

“Her whole purpose in life was to deliver babies, and in a roundabout way, she's still going to be able to do that,” said Fitzpatrick.

Having cancer isn't a choice, but these women believe having children still should be.

Before the bill can be sent to the governor's desk, both the House and Senate must agree on its language.