Yesterday, House Bill 4935 to create the Palliative Care and Quality of Life Study Committee passed in both the House and Senate and will now go to the governor to sign. Palliative care can provide improved quality of life for cancer patients and those with other chronic diseases and their families by focusing on relieving the pain, stress and other symptoms associated with their illness. In response to these votes, Beth Johnson, South Carolina government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), released the following statement:
“On behalf of the more than 30,450 estimated South Carolinians who will hear the words ‘you have cancer’ this year, I applaud our state legislators for supporting this crucial palliative care bill and call on Governor McMaster to sign the bill into law.
“This decision is the first step in improving quality of life for cancer patients and others battling chronic diseases by increasing awareness of palliative care, one of the fastest growing trends in health care.
“About 25 percent of South Carolina hospitals with 50 or more beds currently offer palliative care. The study committee will provide our state a much-needed evaluation on where we can improve these efforts and how we can provide this service to those living near large hospitals as well as smaller, rural hospitals and clinics.
“In addition to improving quality of life for both patients and families, palliative care has proven to reduce the number of symptom crises a patient can experience which can result in fewer unnecessary hospital and doctor visits. Research done by two private health plans showed palliative care saved between $12,000 and $12,600 per patient.
“If the governor signs this bill into law, forming a study committee will be a solid start in bringing South Carolina up with the national average in offering palliative care to patients with chronic diseases like cancer. It’s the right thing to do for patients and their families.”
About ACS CAN
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit fightcancer.org.