[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 148 (Wednesday, September 17, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S8951]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. LINCOLN (for herself, Ms. Snowe, and Mr. Isakson):
  S. 3505. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to 
provide for the coverage of home infusion therapy under the Medicare 
Program; to the Committee on Finance.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, today I join my colleague, Senator Lincoln 
of Arkansas, to introduce the Medicare Home Infusion Coverage Act, 
which will help us improve care and reduce costs. Today we know that 
the average Medicare beneficiary must shoulder nearly half their health 
care costs. At the same time Medicare faces serious fiscal challenges. 
Currently, the Part A, hospital, Trust Fund faces insolvency in 2019, 
when expenditures will exceed projected contributions and require 
additional taxpayer support to maintain the care our seniors and so 
many disabled Americans require.
  There is another way, and that is to reform care delivery to 
emphasize high quality, lower cost care. Today the many serious 
conditions--including some cancers and drug-resistant infections--
require the use of infusion therapy. Such treatment involves the 
administration of medication directly into the bloodstream via a needle 
or catheter. Specialized equipment, supplies, and professional services 
(such as sterile drug compounding, care coordination, and patient 
education and monitoring) are part of such therapy. The course of 
infusion treatment often lasts for several hours per day over a six-to-
eight week period.
  The unfortunate fact is that Medicare patients requiring infusion 
therapy must either bear that cost themselves, or endure 
hospitalization in order to receive coverage. Though Medicare pays for 
infusion drugs, it does not pay for the services, equipment, and 
supplies necessary to safely provide infusion therapy in the home. Not 
surprisingly, even though home infusion therapy may cost as little as 
$100 a day, too few seniors can bear that cost.
  The result is that patients are hospitalized needlessly, driving 
costs of treatment as much as 10-20 times higher than treatment in the 
home. That is wasteful to Medicare and may even place the patient at 
risk. That is because unnecessary hospitalization places individuals at 
risk of acquiring a health care-acquired infection--one which is 
frequently drug resistant and can be life-threatening.
  Private health plans have long understood that home infusion therapy 
is not only less costly, but safer as well. Thus private coverage for 
home infusion therapy is common. Private plans also recognize that 
patients benefit from avoiding hospitalization. At home they have 
familiar, comfortable surroundings, and family conveniently at hand--no 
small concerns when fighting a serious illness.
  It is clear we must change the status quo, and achieve safer, most 
cost-effective treatment. By extending coverage of infusion therapy to 
the home, we will correct this unintended and unnecessary gap in 
Medicare coverage.
  I hope my colleagues will join us in support of this legislation so 
we may further the goals of improving patient safety and reducing our 
escalating health care costs.
                                 ______