WASHINGTON D.C.— U.S. Senators Arlen Specter, ranking member on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Bob Casey, yesterday introduced legislation to ensure Medicare beneficiaries’ access to community-based cancer treatment and to provide adequate Medicare reimbursement assistance for oncologists. The Community Cancer Care Preservation Act, S. 1750, seeks to address the needs of both cancer providers and patients.
"Cancer takes a great toll on our friends, family and our nation," Specter said. "This legislation recognizes the vital services that oncologists provide through community cancer centers and gives them the assistance necessary to care for cancer patients, particularly those in rural areas."
"Reversing the reimbursement rate cut for oncologists that has reduced funding by hundreds of millions of dollars is vital to providing quality care for cancer patients," said Casey. "This bill gives patients greater access to the care they need as they battle to overcome cancer."
The Community Cancer Care Preservation Act was crafted as a result of the vast reductions in Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursements to oncologists. The 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) contained numerous beneficial provisions for America’s seniors and medical facilities; however, it also created a reduction in Medicare’s reimbursement for oncology treatment. Since 2005, CMS has reduced their payments to community cancer care clinics by an estimated $300-400 million.
Community cancer centers are free-standing outpatient facilities that provide comprehensive cancer care in a physician’s office setting and are located in patients’ communities. It is estimated that community cancer clinics treat 84% of Americans with cancer. These clinics are especially critical in rural areas where access to larger cancer clinics may not be available.
This legislation provides assistance to community oncologists that are disadvantaged by CMS reforms brought forth under the MMA by:
- Providing cancer treatment drug reimbursements that are fair and reflective of market costs;
- Requiring CMS to reimburse oncologists for the actual price of the drugs, rather than for the discounted drug price between the pharmaceutical manufacturer and the wholesaler;
- Increasing reimbursement for the service of chemotherapy administration;
- Increasing reimbursement for the storage and care of oncology drugs;
- Instituting reimbursement for medical oncologists who provide treatment planning.
The Community Cancer Care Preservation Act has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
# # #
