Kennedy, Hutchison Introduce Bill To Overhaul 1971 National Cancer Act

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials;  Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP;  Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 30 Mar 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) on Thursday introduced a bill (S 717) that would overhaul the 1971 National Cancer Act, the Boston Herald reports (Boston Herald, 3/27). The bill would:

• Provide funding for cancer research on early detection and supply grants for screening and referrals for cancer treatment;
  
  
• Require some private insurers to provide coverage of routine cancer care for patients enrolled in clinical trials;
  
  
• Make law the current Medicare policy that reimburses patients for routine care while they are enrolled in clinical trials;
  
  
• Require states to pay for tobacco cessation medication and counseling to pregnant women who are Medicaid beneficiaries;
  
  
• Encourage the use of biomarker tests, which might provide early detection of cancer;
  
  
• Create a demonstration project to provide limited regional coverage for biomarker tests;
  
  
• Establish procedures for independent research entities to assess the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of biomarkers; and
  
  
• Direct NIH to devote more resources to childhood cancer.
  

Hutchison said, "We must bring renewed focus and vigor to this fight." Kennedy said, "Americans still live in fear that they or someone they love will be affected" by cancer, adding, "This bill will renew our efforts to make progress in the battle against cancer, and to give patients and their families a renewed sense of hope." Hutchison and Kennedy said they expect that the Senate will pass the measure this year (CQ HealthBeat, 3/26).

Opinion Piece
If the current trend of cancer diagnoses and deaths continues, one in every two men and one in every three women will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime and cancer will become the leading killer of U.S. residents, Hutchison and Kennedy write in a Houston Chronicle opinion piece. They continue, "The solution isn't easy, but there are steps we should take now if we hope to see the diagnosis rate decline substantially and the survival rate increase." They write, "To do so, we must identify and remove the numerous barriers that obstruct our progress in cancer research and treatment." Hutchison and Kennedy outline five steps that can be taken to help this effort. They are: diagnose cancer "at an initial, curable stage"; expand health coverage to ensure that all U.S. residents have access to routine screening; "adopt a more coordinated approach to cancer research"; improve cancer treatment for current patients; and "improve patient survivorship through comprehensive care planning services" (Hutchison/Kennedy, Houston Chronicle, 3/25).

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