Minnesota law requiring wigs to be covered by insurance goes into effect Jan. 1

MINNEAPOLIS — A slew of new state laws will take effect in Minnesota on Jan. 1.

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One of the new laws requires insurers to cover the cost of wigs for anyone experiencing hair loss due to a medical condition. Previously, the law only offered this coverage for people with alopecia. 

For Parry Bartholomew, reopening her wig boxes doesn’t bring back fond memories, but reminds her of how grateful she was to have had them. 

“These helped so much. Not only does it give you a feeling of normalcy, but I’ll tell you – it’s cold to have a bald head in the middle of winter,” she said. 

In 2016, she was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer, a cancer that has no early detection test and vague symptoms. 

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“When I was originally diagnosed, I was told my chances of living five years were less than 35%, and I’m now at 9 years,” she said. 

Bartholomew is the vice chair of the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance board, which funds research, offers support and raises awareness about the disease. 

“When you lose all your hair, your eyebrows, your eyelashes, you feel like all your control has been taken away from you. You feel very vulnerable,” she said. 

Wigs can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on the type and quality, adding an extra burden in an overwhelming time. 

“You’re not only fighting the disease, but you’re sitting with all these bills landing on you,” Bartholomew said. 

The bill was introduced by former DFL Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic, who died Friday after battling ovarian cancer.

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“I didn’t really want to show up on the senate floor bald, so I went to buy a wig. I had the resources to buy the wig, but not everybody does,” Dziedzic said when introducing the bill. 

Bartholomew says she’s grateful for the effort put forth by Dziedzic. 

“She had a great impact. Not only for her tireless advocacy for people with cancer, but she shared her own personal story with ovarian cancer,” she said.