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 re-
ferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined 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 dem-
onstration project to assess the quality of care of cancer 
patients undergoing chemotherapy, and should extend 
the project, at least through 2006, subject to any appro-
priate modifications.
Whereas chemotherapy for cancer patients is primarily fur-
nished in physician offices and is therefore subject to the 
revised method for determining payment amounts;
•HRES 261 IH 
Whereas in 2005 the Medicare program instituted a dem-
onstration project to assess the quality of care for pa-
tients 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 im-
prove 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 re-
imbursement 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 can-
cer care and maintaining financial support for cancer 
chemotherapy pending the completion and review of stud-
ies 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 pa-
tients to chemotherapy treatment be maintained and in
•HRES 261 IH 
the strong interest of patients that the quality of their 
care be assessed and improved: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that—
(1) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Serv-
ices should extend, at least through 2006, the Medi-
care demonstration project to assess the quality of 
care for patients undergoing chemotherapy; 
(2) the demonstration project should be modi-
fied, if appropriate to do so, to accumulate even 
more useful data relating to the quality of care fur-
nished to Medicare patients with cancer; and 
(3) payments to physicians for participation in 
the demonstration project should continue to ensure 
that Medicare patients with cancer have access to 
chemotherapy treatment.
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