[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 81 (Friday, June 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1271]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PATIENT NAVIGATOR, OUTREACH, AND CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION ACT OF 2005

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                               speech of

                           HON. DEBORAH PRYCE

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 13, 2005

  Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I'd like to begin by commending the 
distinguished Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. 
Barton. Mr. Chairman, I am most grateful for your leadership on and 
commitment to moving this important legislation forward.
  I'd also like to extend a special thanks to my friend and colleague, 
Mr. Bob Menendez. He has been a great partner over the last few years 
as we've worked on this initiative together.
  We represent different parts of the country and belong to different 
political parties, but we have put any differences aside and have 
joined together for a great purpose here today.
  We join together because we understand that cancer, diabetes and 
other chronic diseases can affect anyone in any part of the country, of 
any race, of any income level.
  Because even with the tremendous advancements we have made in 
prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, we understand that in 
far too many communities across this country, navigating the health 
care system can be a significant barrier to gaining access to quality 
and affordable health care services.
  I also want to highlight the American Cancer Society, the National 
Association of Community Health Centers, the National Rural Health 
Association, and other organizations for their tireless efforts to 
educate our colleagues about this important issue and advocate for this 
legislation.
  Madam Speaker, today Congress is taking a significant step forward to 
insure that our friends and neighbors across America have the tools and 
resources they need to make good decisions about their health and the 
health of their children.
  I am grateful to have had the opportunity to meet two gentlemen who 
pioneered the concept that this legislation is based on--the ``patient 
navigator'' concept.
  Dr. Harold Freeman and Dr. Elmer Huerta are two of the most humble, 
kind gentlemen I have had the good fortune of getting to know. Let me 
tell you a little about what they do.
  First, they recognized from their own work as doctors in underserved 
communities that navigating the health care system can be an 
insurmountable barrier for many people, especially when they are poor, 
under-insured, or uninsured. All we have to do is step out of our homes 
and into our communities to find families and individuals who struggle 
to find and access the health care services they need--both preventive 
services and treatment.
  Enter Dr. Freeman and Dr. Huerta's patient navigator concept. Patient 
navigators are the angels who guide individuals through the health care 
system. This is truly one of the most creative and innovative ways to 
address the health care needs of these individuals who may otherwise 
avoid seeing a doctor when they're healthy and getting the treatment 
they need when they're sick.
  Whether based at hospitals, community health centers, or cancer 
centers, these programs literally put in place patient navigators to 
help individuals find their way through the often complex health care 
system.
  These navigators, like Leka Murdock who I met during my visit to the 
Ralph Lauren Cancer Center in Harlem, assist people who come through 
their doors with obtaining coverage through Medicaid or other sources, 
obtain cancer screenings or counseling about disease prevention, or 
make referrals for treatment or clinical trial options should an 
abnormality be detected.
  For people who may otherwise not know how or be able to access health 
care services, patient navigator programs offer them the tools and 
resources they need to make good decisions about their health and the 
health of their children. They help break through the red tape that 
often prevents them from even getting the information they need to find 
a doctor or get treated.
  I know that walking into a facility that is even associated with 
cancer is a daunting challenge in and of itself. To see the words 
cancer screening or chemotherapy this way is just terrifying. But the 
fact of the matter is, we still live in a world where people suffer 
from cancer. And while we are waging the war on cancer, but we have not 
yet won.
  So until that day comes, we must commit to offering our family 
members, friends, and neighbors, both young and old, insured and un-
insured, the best care in the best facilities we can create. Dr. 
Freeman's Ralph Lauren Cancer Center and a similar program right here 
in D.C. at the Washington Hospital Center run by Dr. Huerta are model 
programs that should be commended and emulated.
  That's why Congressman Menendez and I partnered together to 
introduce, garner support for, and move forward this legislation that 
will create innovative demonstrations projects in communities across 
the country based on the patient navigator concept.
  This bill will link sustained health promotion outreach efforts with 
patient navigation programs. Specifically, the bill will make funds 
available to community health centers, cancer centers, rural and 
frontier serving medical facilities, and other eligible entities to 
increase and promote chronic disease prevention screening, outreach and 
public health education, as well as provide patient navigators to help 
patients overcome barriers and complexities around the health care 
system.
  It is my hope that this legislation will serve as a springboard for 
launching many more patient navigator programs, like those of Dr. 
Freeman and Dr. Huerta. These extraordinary programs are making a real 
difference in the lives of people who suffer from cancer and other 
diseases.
  People who may not otherwise even know they're sick.
  Or if they do, people who may not do what is necessary to get proper 
treatment and care.
  These are the people we need to reach and this bill is a healthy 
start.
  By furthering this collaboration between the private and public 
sectors, we will maximize our resources and close in on that day when 
cancer and other chronic diseases no longer threaten the lives of our 
loved ones.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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