For more information about insurance coverage of clinical trial costs, see this feature's main page: States That Require Health Plans to Cover Patient Care Costs in Clinical Trials 1. Legislation: Senate Bill 325 2 Effective: January 2002 What clinical trials are covered? Clinical trials for treatment, palliation (supportive care), or prevention of cancer approved by one of the following: National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute cooperative group or center U.S. Food and Drug Administration U.S. Department of Defense U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Who is required to pay? Private insurers, including individual and group health plans. Other key criteria: Prevention trials are covered only in Phase III and only if they involve therapeutic intervention. Insurer may require documentation of the likelihood of therapeutic benefit, informed consent, protocol information and test results, and/or a summary of costs involved.