Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2005

Bill: 109-hr-1849
Sponsor: Rep. Kelly, Sue W. [R-NY-19]
Introduced: 2005-04-26 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Breast cancer
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Collective bargaining
Commerce
Conflict of interests
Consumer education
Discrimination in insurance
Discrimination in medical care
Employee health benefits
Finance and Financial Sector
Health insurance
Hospital care
Labor and Employment
Labor contracts
Mastectomy
Medical ethics
Medical fees
Patients' rights
Physicians
Radiotherapy
Surgery
Women
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2005-04-26
text: 
Breast Cancer Patient Protect Action of 2005 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to require a group health plan or a health issuer offering group health insurance coverage that provides medical and surgical benefits to ensure that inpatient (and in the case of a lumpectomy, outpatient) coverage and radiation therapy are provided for breast cancer treatment. Prohibits such a plan or issuer from: (1) restricting benefits for any hospital length of stay to less than 48 hours in connection with a mastectomy or breast conserving surgery or 24 hours in connection with a lymph node dissection; or (2) requiring that a provider obtain authorization from the plan or issuer for prescribing any such length of stay.
 
Requires such a plan or issuer to: (1) provide notice to each participant and beneficiary regarding the coverage required under this Act; and (2) ensure that full coverage is provided for secondary consultations by specialists in the appropriate medical fields to confirm or refute a diagnosis of cancer.
 
Applies such requirements to health insurance issuers offering coverage in the individual market.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-07-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H5958)
action_date: 2005-10-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H9281)
action_date: 2005-09-20
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H6740)
action_date: 2005-05-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.
action_date: 2005-05-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2005-05-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2005-04-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and 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.
action_date: 2005-04-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and 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.
action_date: 2005-04-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and 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.
action_date: 2005-04-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, and 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.
action_date: 2005-04-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-04-26
text: Introduced in House