National Cancer and Patient Organizations Urge President and Congress: "Don't Sacrifice Cancer Patients in Debt Ceiling Negotiations"

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Jul 14, 2011, 08:00 ET

WASHINGTON, July 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) announced today that it has joined with multiple cancer and patient organizations, including The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the National Patient Advocacy Foundation (NPAF) and U.S. Oncology, to urge President Obama and Congress not to sacrifice cancer care while they seek solutions to the national debt ceiling issue.

The organizations -- representing patients, distributers, and over 30,000 health providers who treat millions of Americans with cancer – have sent a letter to President Obama and the Congressional leadership opposing the $3 billion in cuts to Medicare reimbursement for cancer-fighting drugs and biologics that Members of Congress have discussed in the context of the national debt ceiling. The groups, including the Association of Community Cancer Centers, ASCO, AmerisourceBergen, the Healthcare Distribution Management Association, McKesson, the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, NPAF, the US Oncology Network and UPMC Cancer Centers, agree that enacting a significant reduction in Medicare drug reimbursement would be devastating to both community cancer clinics and their patients.

"Reducing Medicare reimbursement for cancer-fighting drugs and biologics as part of the negotiations over the national debt ceiling is essentially 'throwing cancer patients under the Debt Ceiling Bus'," said David Eagle, M.D., president of the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) and partner in Lake Norman Oncology, Mooresville, North Carolina. "What seems at first glance to be a cost-cutting measure will actually result in more healthcare expenditures as cancer patients who do not receive timely treatment progress further and more rapidly in their disease, further burdening the healthcare system."

Instead the groups are urging the Obama Administration and Congressional leadership to take action to protect the interests of individuals with cancer by rejecting the $3 proposed billion in cuts to Medicare reimbursement for cancer-fighting drugs and biologics.

In support of this effort, COA is encouraging cancer treating healthcare professionals to reach out and contact the White House, their Senators and Representatives to appeal to them to stop the proposed cuts. More information can be found on the COA website at www.communityoncology.org.

COA and others are also asking Members of Congress to support solutions to preserve cancer care by signing on as sponsors to bipartisan bills designed to address a Medicare reimbursement flaw. U.S. Representatives Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Gene Green (D-TX) introduced House bill H.R. 905 and U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) and lead co-sponsor U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) introduced Senate bill S. 733. These bipartisan bills propose to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure more appropriate payment for drugs and biologics under Part B of the Medicare Program by excluding customary prompt pay discounts extended to wholesalers from the manufacturer's Average Sales Price (ASP).

The U.S. has the best cancer care delivery system in the world, in which 84 percent of Americans receive quality, compassionate care in the community cancer setting. However, the cancer care delivery system is suffering because of substantial Medicare cuts to payment for cancer drugs and essential services. The crisis will deepen as demand for cancer care is now starting to exceed the supply of oncologists. It is predicted that over the next 10 years there will be an oncologist shortage for one in every four cancer patients.

About Community Oncology Alliance (COA)

Formed in 2003 in response to the Medicare Modernization Act, COA is a non-profit organization dedicated solely to community oncology. COA was founded by community oncologists to advocate for patients and providers in the community oncology setting, where four out of five Americans with cancer are treated.

Currently, COA is working with the Congress in providing proactive solutions designed to protect the viability of the nation's cancer care delivery system and patients' access to quality, affordable cancer care. The cancer death rate in the U.S. has declined due to earlier detection, the quality of treatment, and the accessibility of cancer care. However, according to the American Cancer Society, men still have an approximately one in two lifetime risk of developing cancer, with a risk of one in three for women. For more information, please visit www.communityoncology.org.

SOURCE Community Oncology Alliance