[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 68 (Wednesday, May 7, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H3457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       INTRODUCING THE PLANNING ACTIVELY FOR CANCER TREATMENT ACT

  (Mrs. CAPPS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to draw attention to the serious gaps 
in our cancer care system, a system the Institute of Medicine has 
deemed in crisis.
  For too many cancer patients, the process of a cancer diagnosis and 
treatment is overwhelming. Patients must navigate treatment provided by 
multiple providers, with little help to coordinate the treatments, the 
side effects, and the psychosocial impacts.
  While some providers involve their patients actively in their cancer 
care, we need to make it the standard, not the exception. That is why I 
have introduced the Planning Actively for Cancer Treatment, or PACT, 
Act with my Republican colleague, Representative Boustany from 
Louisiana.
  The PACT Act would provide a personalized roadmap to cancer care 
developed by the patient and provider. These plans have been shown to 
improve patient outcomes, increase patient satisfaction, and reduce 
unnecessary utilization of scarce health care facilities.
  That is why cancer patient research and provider groups like the 
Lymphoma Research Foundation and the National Coalition for Cancer 
Survivorship, they all support this bill.
  With the PACT Act, we have an opportunity to make cancer patients 
better, along with the health care systems that care for them.
  I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this important bill.

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