[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 261 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 261

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Centers 
 for Medicare & Medicaid Services should be commended for implementing 
  the Medicare demonstration project to assess the quality of care of 
cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and should extend the project, 
    at least through 2006, subject to any appropriate modifications.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 4, 2005

Mr. Hall (for himself, Mr. Towns, Mr. Pickering, Mr. Bilirakis, and Mr. 
  Gene Green of Texas) submitted the following resolution; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
   the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Centers 
 for Medicare & Medicaid Services should be commended for implementing 
  the Medicare demonstration project to assess the quality of care of 
cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and should extend the project, 
    at least through 2006, subject to any appropriate modifications.

Whereas chemotherapy for cancer patients is primarily furnished in physician 
        offices and is therefore subject to the revised method for determining 
        payment amounts;
Whereas in 2005 the Medicare program instituted a demonstration project to 
        assess the quality of care for patients undergoing chemotherapy by 
        collecting data on the impact of chemotherapy on cancer patients' 
        quality of life;
Whereas the demonstration project is a strong effort to improve the quality of 
        cancer treatment by assessing pain, nausea and vomiting, and fatigue;
Whereas the demonstration project reflects a foundation to evaluate important 
        patient services moving forward;
Whereas payment amounts under the demonstration project have mitigated the 
        significant reductions in Medicare support for chemotherapy services 
        that would otherwise have gone into effect;
Whereas reports by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Medicare 
        Payment Advisory Commission regarding any adverse effects from the 
        changes in the reimbursement method for chemotherapy services are not 
        due until late 2005 and January 1, 2006;
Whereas the demonstration project achieves the concurrent objectives of 
        collecting data to improve the quality of cancer care and maintaining 
        financial support for cancer chemotherapy pending the completion and 
        review of studies on the recent reimbursement changes;
Whereas it may be possible to modify the demonstration project to collect 
        additional or different data elements that would make it even more 
        useful in enhancing the quality of cancer care; and
Whereas it is essential that the access of Medicare cancer patients to 
        chemotherapy treatment be maintained and in the strong interest of 
        patients that the quality of their care be assessed and improved: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should 
        extend, at least through 2006, the Medicare demonstration 
        project to assess the quality of care for patients undergoing 
        chemotherapy;
            (2) the demonstration project should be modified, if 
        appropriate to do so, to accumulate even more useful data 
        relating to the quality of care furnished to Medicare patients 
        with cancer; and
            (3) payments to physicians for participation in the 
        demonstration project should continue to ensure that Medicare 
        patients with cancer have access to chemotherapy treatment.
                                 <all>