Letter: Bill supports biomarker testing
This letter originally ran in the Lincoln Journal Star.
News
This Week in Health Care Reform
July 29, 2009
Note: This update will also cover the House of Representatives passage today of the FY10 Labor-HHS Appropriations legislation which provides funding for National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control.
Health Care Reform On Capitol Hill
This week, Capitol Hill was all health care, most of the time. In the House, activity centered on continuing negotiations between Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman and the more conservative Blue Dog Democrats on the committee, who have thus far prevented the committee from completing action on the “Tri-Committee” house bill. Those negotiations will continue over the weekend, and it is likely a decision will be made early next week about whether the House will be able to take up and pass the bill prior to the August recess. In the Senate, bipartisan Finance negotiations are continuing, and it is hoped that the committee will be able to complete a bill prior to the August recess. Yesterday, Senator Majority Leader Reid stated, however, that the full Senate will wait until September to debate and pass the bill.
Using a multitude of strategies including coalition efforts, grassroots activities, direct lobbying to both congress and the administration, and media advocacy efforts, ACS CAN continues to work very aggressively in support of the policy changes that are so important to cancer patients and their families. Key actions this past week included:
A Focus on Affordability. ACS CAN put together a White House meeting with the President’s key health reform adviser to emphasize the issue of affordability to our cancer patients. We have taken a leading role in a coalition of organizations on this key issue, and in that respect, have facilitated additional meetings with key House and Senate leadership staff as well as the staff of the committees working on the legislation. On July 21st, the 19 member coalition sent a letter (see attached) to the authors of the House legislation, distributing it to all members (Republican and Democratic) of the House, to highlight this priority.
On Wednesday, July 22, ACS CAN released a report that analyzed the Blue Cross-Blue Shield health insurance plan that covers most federal employees and members of Congress. The study showed that the plan offers adequate and affordable benefits for people with serious chronic diseases, like cancer, heart disease and diabetes making it a good starting point for defining a basic level of coverage in the health reform legislation. In other words, if Members of Congress can have it, so should you. Click here to read the press release
In an effort to provide more specific details on the progress being made on ACS CAN’s health care reform priorities, for the next several weeks, I will highlight key provisions within the bills.
This week I want to highlight some of the provisions affecting our goal of enhancing prevention. To date, the Senate HELP Committee has completed a mark-up of a bill, and two of the three committees with jurisdiction have completed mark-ups of their portions of a common bill, known as the House Tri-Committee bill. The prevention provisions in the HELP and House Tri-Committee bills include:
Requiring coverage and reducing cost-sharing for evidence-based clinical prevention services in government and private insurance plans, including the elimination of cost-sharing in Medicare for all United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended services, and requiring Medicaid to cover all USPSTF recommended services.
Establishing a Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund to provide a stable, reliable source of funding for evidence-based public health activities.
Requiring a coordinated national plan for prevention to ensure state and federal efforts are better coordinated and integrated.
Improving the identification of prevention priorities by requiring the USPSTF and the Community Services Task Force (CSTF) to coordinate to help improve prevention and wellness in communities across the country.
Improving the primary care workforce by increasing payment to primary care providers under Medicare, expanding scholarships and training for primary care, establishing medical home pilot projects, and authorizing additional funding for community health centers..
Experience the “Action: Now Not Later” Campaign
As you may know, ACS CAN’s "Action: Now Not Later" health care reform advertising is covering the entire Capitol South Metro station in Washington, D.C., which U.S. House staff frequently use.
If you don’t live in Washington, D.C. you can experience a virtual tour of the station through this powerful video, which features the thoughts and reactions of cancer survivors, Jackie and Jim Eyler of Westminster, Maryland – and hear their thoughts and reactions to the campaign. Jacqueline and James Eyler.
As the details of health care reform legislation continue to be worked out, ACS CAN remains on the front lines on behalf of cancer patients and their loved ones. As the leading patient advocacy group in the debate, we are working to ensure that any final bill meets our fundamental requirement to help all Americans obtain medical coverage that is adequate, affordable, administratively simple, covers pre-existing conditions, elevates the importance of disease prevention, and emphasizes quality patient care through end of life.
Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/acscan for the latest health care reform updates.
House of Representatives acts on FY10 funding bill for cancer research and control programs.
Although, we are very focused on the battle for health reform, ACS CAN is continuing to fight every day on our other legislative priorities, and I am pleased to report that the House of Representatives today passed the Labor-Health and Human Services appropriations bill by a vote of 264-153. As passed, the bill would provide, the National Institutes of Health $31.3 billion next year, nearly $1 billion more than last year, and it includes $5.15 billion for the National Cancer Institute. Center for Disease Control cancer control programs would receive $349 million, a small increase over last year. The new Patient Navigator program, which will be in its third year of funding, will receive $4 million.
This is a good first effort in the annual appropriations process, and we expect the Senate committee to begin work on the bill next week. Your continued work on appropriations for cancer research and control continues to be important as we focus on health care reform, so please keep up the good work in this area too.
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 [email protected] or 202-661-5716.
Thanks, as always, for all you do.
Dan