This morning, I had the privilege of sitting down with Rossalynn Ripper and Kendra to listen to their stories about battling breast cancer and how scalp cooling helped them hold on to a piece of themselves during one of the toughest chapters of their lives.

It was powerful. It was emotional. And it was incredibly informative.

There is something profoundly human about hearing firsthand what someone endured, the fear, the strength, the small victories that mean everything. For many women, keeping their hair during chemotherapy is not about vanity. It is about dignity. Identity. Hope. Rossalynn and Kendra shared that with honesty and courage, and I am grateful they trusted me enough to tell me their stories.

In the end, we fully agreed that this may be the best tool to provide a truly positive life-changing experience for so many battling the evils of cancer.

We also had a thoughtful and respectful discussion about the legislation being debated. I shared my concerns, and my vote not from a place of indifference, but from a place of concern and reason. My worry has been that mandating insurance coverage in a certain way could unintentionally drive up costs for the majority of Marylanders battling cancer that may need scalp cooling as well, or even push some families off their insurance plans as premiums continue to rise. Including many of those battling cancer.

We have seen time and again that when insurance mandates guarantee payment for a medical device, manufacturers often raise prices, knowing reimbursement is secured. Those higher costs are then passed along to families who can barely afford them now. At the same time, the mandate can distort the free market by artificially inflating the product’s price overall, making it more expensive for everyone and reducing access.

We were completely aligned in our goal of increasing access for everyone. At an average cost of around $3,000, scalp cooling is already a significant financial burden for many individuals battling cancer. If we unintentionally drive that price higher by distorting the free market, access could shrink even further. And even if this bill passes, more than 50% of Marylanders would still not have coverage for this treatment through their insurance plans. I am now more optimistic that this may not become a major concern, given the strong advocacy efforts and the work of nonprofit organizations that are helping expand access and support patients.

As someone who has lived for over four decades with Type 1 diabetes, I know all too well how Big Pharma, device manufacturers, and insurance companies often focus more on managing treatment than pursuing cures. When I used the phrase “I had to embrace the suck,” I was speaking about my own experience, learning as a child that there were things I simply could not do or be because of my diagnosis. It reflected my frustration with an industry that often seems more focused on managing ongoing treatment than on pursuing a true cure. It was never directed at anyone fighting cancer, and it certainly was never meant to diminish their pain. If anyone was hurt by my words, I sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart. That was not my intention.

Rossalynn made an important point that will stay with me: sometimes we have to lean more heavily into the human element than into speculation about what might happen. That perspective matters. It challenged me, and I respect that deeply.

My heart truly goes out to every person and family dealing with the horrors of cancer. I believe we are on the same page in wanting to increase access, push down costs, and help more people benefit from scalp cooling, even if we differed momentarily on the best strategy to get there.

I will leave the full video of my floor remarks available so there is no confusion about what I said. I could have spoken more clearly and more eloquently, and that is on me. But please know this: every vote I take is weighed carefully with the intention of doing the least harm and the most good for the greatest number of Marylanders. Even when I'm wrong!

Thank you, Rossalynn and Kendra, for your grace, your strength, and your willingness to engage in honest dialogue. Conversations like this are how we move forward together. ... See MoreSee Less