Letter: Bill supports biomarker testing
This letter originally ran in the Lincoln Journal Star.
News
8-14-09 This Week in Health Care Reform
August 17, 2009
ON CAPITOL HILL
It might be surprising, but the August recess is a busy time in Washington, D.C. While House and Senate members have returned to their home districts for the month, Capitol Hill is still buzzing with activity and ACS CAN has been holding important meetings with key health care reform stakeholders, including staff from the Blue Dog Coalition, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the Senate Finance and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committees, as well as moderate representatives from both parties. This is a crucial time to ensure that ACS CAN’s priorities for reform are heard by decision-makers.
But the work hasn’t just been happening in Washington. On August 11, six ACS CAN representatives (five volunteers and one staff) attended President Obama’s town hall in Portsmouth, New Hampshire where the President noted the importance of routine checkups and preventive care to diagnose diseases like cancer earlier rather than later. Several volunteers who attended the town hall were interviewed by eight local media outlets.
With both houses of Congress back in their individual congressional districts this week, ACS CAN’s grassroots advocacy volunteers are in full swing across the nation to rally local and state support and urge their lawmakers to enact meaningful health care reform. Grassroots volunteers throughout the country are taking a variety of approaches such as booths at state fairs to sign petitions, leafleting at pre-season football games, community rallies and local press events. Two examples of state activities include:
Maine:
New England and Nebraska
It’s critical that cancer patients’ voices are heard at local Congressional listening sessions or town halls on health care reform. With all the emotion surrounding these local events, ACS CAN is relying on a strong network of advocates to use this opportunity to be the voice for cancer patients and survivors on why America needs health care reform NOW, not later. Should you need them, our grassroots team is happy to provide talking points or help plan activities and events.
A FOCUS ON MEDICAID AND HEALTH DISPARITIES
In the last few weeks, I have focused on various components and priorities highlighted in the health care reform bills. This week I will focus on Medicaid and health disparities. Under the current health care reform legislation, there are important provisions which improve health care coverage for low-income people and racial and ethnic minorities. The House Tri-committee bill expands coverage for very low-income people, many of whom currently have no options for coverage. The House bill also improves the adequacy of Medicaid by requiring coverage of preventive services and eliminating co-pays for these services (the Senate HELP committee does not have jurisdiction over Medicaid, but the Senate Finance Committee which does is expected to propose similar changes to those in the House bill). Both the House and Senate bills address health disparities by promoting a more rigorous and thorough data collection and analysis to identify issues, encouraging a more diverse workforce, and ensuring that materials and services are useful to everyone, regardless of language of origin. Highlights include:
Expanded coverage for poor:
Translational services:
Preventive care:
Culturally appropriate materials:
Data:
Workforce:
MYTHS VS. REALITIES: DEATH PANELS
There are many contradictory messages about health care reform out there and it seems like everybody – the media and politicians included – is saying different things about what reform will mean for Americans. Moving forward, every week I’d like to highlight some of the myths – and the realities behind them – through the cancer lens.
Myth: Recently, reform opponents have been claiming the legislation will require what they are calling "death panels," leading some people to believe they will be denied essential care if they become seriously ill.
Reality: This is a totally bogus argument, trying to play on people’s emotions to oppose reform. The reality is that the House bill contains a provision that will allow doctors to be reimbursed for time that they spend with patients discussing end of life care. The American Cancer Society has long promoted such discussions so that patients can decide how they want to be cared for if they should become incapacitated and not able speak for themselves. This discussion, which can be formalized through a legal document called an advance directive, allows the patient to declare their preferences so that their doctors and family know what kind of care they want in critical situations. The discussion is not mandatory, and the patient can make any decisions they want, including the decision not to have an advanced directive. The provision is consistent with the Society’s goal of improving the quality of life for cancer patients and their families.
As always, I look forward to keeping you informed through these weekly emails, other email updates, regular staff conference calls and podcasts. For more information, you can also visit fightcancer.org/healthcare or contact Erin O'Neill, senior director for Grassroots at
A number of important workforce development provisions are included that would increase diversity and service to minority and underserved communities.Provides more robust data on race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and language of origin in health systems databases by requiring more standardized collection and regular reporting and analysis. Requires health plans produce cultural and language appropriate materials. The House also requires insurers to cover language services necessary during healthcare. Improves Medicaid by requiring coverage of clinical preventive services that receive a United States Preventive Services Task Force grade of "A" or "B" and eliminates any related co-pays. Provides greater incentive for states to expand language translation services in Medicaid. All persons under 133% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) will be eligible for Medicaid. People will be signing hospital bracelets, which will be linked together to form a "Linking Together for Change" themed-backdrop at press events. The bracelets will ultimately be delivered to their respective Members of Congress. ACS CAN, in partnership with AARP and Consumers Union, hosted a "Story Hour in the Park" event on Wednesday, August 12, with a life-size book of patient stories and storytellers from each organization to urge Members of Congress to implement meaningful health care reform and help ensure the stories in the book end "happily ever after."
or 202-661-5716.
Thanks, as always, for all you do.
Dan
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