109 HRES 261 IH: 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. U.S. House of Representatives 2005-05-04 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 109th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 261 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

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.