IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 261

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services should be commended for implementing 

the Medicare demonstration project to assess the quality of care of 

cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and should extend the project, 

at least through 2006, subject to any appropriate modifications. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 4, 2005

Mr. HALL (for himself, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. PICKERING, Mr. BILIRAKIS, and Mr. 

GENE GREEN of Texas) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 

the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should 

be commended for implementing the Medicare demonstration project to assess the quality of care of cancer 

patients undergoing chemotherapy, and should extend 

the project, at least through 2006, subject to any appropriate modifications.

Whereas chemotherapy for cancer patients is primarily furnished in physician offices and is therefore subject to the 

revised method for determining payment amounts; 
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•HRES 261 IH 

Whereas in 2005 the Medicare program instituted a demonstration project to assess the quality of care for patients undergoing chemotherapy by collecting data on the 

impact of chemotherapy on cancer patients’ quality of 

life; 

Whereas the demonstration project is a strong effort to improve the quality of cancer treatment by assessing pain, 

nausea and vomiting, and fatigue; 

Whereas the demonstration project reflects a foundation to 

evaluate important patient services moving forward; 

Whereas payment amounts under the demonstration project 

have mitigated the significant reductions in Medicare 

support for chemotherapy services that would otherwise 

have gone into effect; 

Whereas reports by the Department of Health and Human 

Services and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 

regarding any adverse effects from the changes in the reimbursement method for chemotherapy services are not 

due until late 2005 and January 1, 2006; 

Whereas the demonstration project achieves the concurrent 

objectives of collecting data to improve the quality of cancer care and maintaining financial support for cancer 

chemotherapy pending the completion and review of studies on the recent reimbursement changes; 

Whereas it may be possible to modify the demonstration 

project to collect additional or different data elements 

that would make it even more useful in enhancing the 

quality of cancer care; and 

Whereas it is essential that the access of Medicare cancer patients to chemotherapy treatment be maintained and in 
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•HRES 261 IH 

the strong interest of patients that the quality of their 

care be assessed and improved: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that—

3 (1) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Serv4 ices should extend, at least through 2006, the Medi5 care demonstration project to assess the quality of 

6 care for patients undergoing chemotherapy; 

7 (2) the demonstration project should be modi8 fied, if appropriate to do so, to accumulate even 

9 more useful data relating to the quality of care fur10 nished to Medicare patients with cancer; and 

11 (3) payments to physicians for participation in 

12 the demonstration project should continue to ensure 

13 that Medicare patients with cancer have access to 

14 chemotherapy treatment.

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