Washington - April 09, 1999 - The
American Cancer Society is urgently pressing members of Congress to
move forward on managed care reform legislation which supports the
needs of those dealing with cancer. The Patients' Bill of Rights,
also known as S. 6 and H.R. 358, is foremost among several managed
care reform bills which ACS supports.
"With more than 85 percent of insured Americans enrolled in some
form of managed care arrangement, the time has come for federal
action to limit one-size-fits-all medical practices which try to
merely adhere to cost savings -- especially in cases of catastrophic
illness. The Patients' Bill of Rights does the right thing by cancer
patients and those potentially affected by cancer," said Francis
Coolidge, ACS National Board of Directors Chair. "Congress must move
S. 6 and H.R. 358 forward. This legislation will support and protect
patients in a manner that only federal law can, and help stop health
care access and quality problems caused by bottom-line medicine."
The Society is pushing for legislation which:
- Ensures access to clinical trials for innovative cancer
treatments
- Increases access to specialists for people with cancer
- Provides quick, strong and enforceable grievance and appeal
procedures
- Supplies easy to understand health plan policy information
Currently, U.S. Senate leadership has under consideration
S. 326, which is "truly not a reform of managed care. It has too
many loopholes and falls far too short of providing the protections
the American Cancer Society supports in a managed care package,"
Coolidge added. The U.S. House of Representatives has not yet begun
to move forward on managed care reform.
"S. 6 and H.R. 358 will make it simpler for everyone -- not just
those affected by cancer -- to maneuver safely through the health
care system. It is critical Congress stop wasting time. Cancer
patients deserve to know they won't be denied treatment which could
save their lives simply because a health plan administrator not
licensed to practice medicine says a particular treatment is not
necessary or appropriate. We urge both the Senate and the House to
take up a responsible and comprehensive approach to managed care
reform, and move the Patients' Bill of Rights forward," Coolidge
said.
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