[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 89 (Thursday, June 24, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7445-S7446]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. STABENOW (for herself and Mrs. Hutchison):
  S. 2587. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to 
adjust the amount of payment under the physician fee scheduled for drug 
administration services furnished to medicare beneficiaries; to the 
Committee on Finance.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Ensuring 
Quality and Access to Cancer Care Act of 2004. I want to thank my 
colleague, Senator Hutchison, for working with me on this critical 
issue. Regardless of how we feel about the new Medicare law, I believe 
we all agree that there are legitimate concerns about changes in cancer 
care reimbursement. Critical services that help patients and their 
families may be in jeopardy because Medicare reimbursement is scheduled 
to be drastically cut in 2005.
  I believe that these changes will be disruptive to patients' care. It 
is especially urgent in Michigan, which is ranked fourth in the Nation 
in number of residents with cancer.
  Doctors administer more than 70 percent of all cancer chemotherapy in 
their offices, but the new Medicare law drastically cuts doctors' 
reimbursement for drug administration. Changes in the reimbursement 
system will

[[Page S7446]]

mean that doctors will likely be paid dramatically less for 
chemotherapy. Preliminary estimates indicate that roughly $4.2 billion 
will be taken out of cancer care in the United States over the next 10 
years.
  Many critical services are paid for through drug administration 
reimbursement because they are not covered by Medicare. These include 
specially-trained oncology nurses and related staff; the handling, 
storage, and preparation of the toxic chemotherapy agents; and 
cognitive, nutrition, and support care services that are important 
indices of quality cancer care.
  The result could be fewer and fewer doctors will treat cancer 
patients, leaving them without access to the best care possible. 
Furthermore, patients may lose access to vital support services.
  Congress clearly recognized that questions related to the impact of 
the Medicare law on patient access needed to be answered. That's why 
the Medicare law included a temporary one-year increase in physicians' 
practice expenses. But access problems will likely emerge in 2005 when 
the temporary aid and drug reimbursement decrease significantly. And 
several programs to help oncologists and patients will not begin until 
2006.
  The ``Ensuring Quality and Access to Cancer Care Act of 2004'' would 
merely extend the 1-year transitional period built into the law for an 
additional year. It's a fair compromise so that we have time to answer 
important questions regarding the impact of the payment reductions. And 
it will ensure that policy changes do not disrupt patient access to 
quality cancer care.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2587

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Ensuring Quality and Access 
     to Cancer Care Act of 2004''.

     SEC. 2. TRANSITIONAL ADJUSTMENT TO PHYSICIAN FEE SCHEDULE FOR 
                   DRUG ADMINISTRATION SERVICES FURNISHED TO 
                   MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES.

       (a) In general.--Section 303(a)(4)(B)(ii) of the Medicare 
     Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 
     (Public Law 108-173; 117 Stat. 2237) is amended by striking 
     ``3 percent'' and inserting ``32 percent''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section 
     shall take effect as if included in the enactment of section 
     303(a)(4) of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and 
     Modernization Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-173; 117 Stat. 
     2237).
                                 ______