[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 812 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 812

        Supporting quality of life for prostate cancer patients.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 10, 2018

    Mr. Paulsen (for himself and Mr. Payne) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 
  and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Veterans' 
Affairs, 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


 
        Supporting quality of life for prostate cancer patients.

Whereas an estimated 164,690 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018 
        adding to the estimated more than 2,900,000 men currently living with 
        prostate cancer in the United States;
Whereas approximately 15 percent of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer 
        during their lifetime and prostate cancer is the second leading cause of 
        death in men in the United States;
Whereas African-American males suffer from a 60-percent higher incidence of 
        prostate cancer than White males and have an almost 250-percent higher 
        mortality rate than White males;
Whereas certain veterans populations may have nearly twice the incidence of 
        prostate cancer as the general population of the United States;
Whereas there are a number of options available to men to treat prostate cancer, 
        including radiation, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and a radical 
        prostatectomy;
Whereas many men who undertake these treatment options for their prostate cancer 
        will experience significant side effects including incontinence and 
        impotence;
Whereas the side effects of prostate treatment can negatively affect a prostate 
        cancer survivor's quality of life and contribute to depression and 
        anxiety;
Whereas the spouse or partner of the prostate cancer survivor is emotionally 
        impacted as the intimacy of the relationship can become strained;
Whereas prostate cancer survivors suffering from the side effects of treatment 
        deserve access to the prosthetic urologic interventions and 
        reconstructive surgeries that can restore the patient to a physical 
        state similar to that prior to the prostate cancer treatment;
Whereas the need for these urologic restoration products can also be a last line 
        of intervention for patients suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular 
        disease, Parkinson's disease, or multiple sclerosis; and
Whereas Medicare and the Veterans' Administration currently cover medical 
        devices such as artificial urinary sphincters and penile prosthesis: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
Congress should protect Medicare or Veterans' Administration benefits 
for medical device treatments for male incontinence and impotence that 
result from treatment for prostate cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular 
disease, Parkinson's disease, or multiple sclerosis and that any such 
coverage decisions should be based on data and made after careful 
review by medical experts with a critical eye toward the impact of 
coverage decisions on the Medicare and Veterans' Administration 
populations.
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