107th Congress

Quality of Care for Individuals With Cancer Act

S. 2965

Background

As stated in Senator Edward M. Kennedy's (D-MA) introductory remarks, the purpose of S. 2965, the Quality of Care for Individuals with Cancer Act, was to improve the quality of care that cancer patients receive. Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) drafted this bill with Senator Kennedy. Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) introduced competing legislation, S. 2955, the National Cancer Act. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced S. 1976, which was also named the National Cancer Act. However, the purpose of S. 1976 was to authorize a comprehensive Federal effort for the prevention and treatment of cancer. (For information on this legislation, see the article entitled "National Cancer Act of 2002.")

Provisions of the Legislation/Impact on NIH

Title I—Measuring the Quality of Cancer Care. Title I would have added a Section 417E to the Public Health Service Act requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award a contract to a national voluntary consensus organization to identify core sets of quality cancer measures.

Title II—Enhancing Data Collection. Title II would have:

• Added Section 399E-1 to the Public Health Service Act requiring the Secretary of HHS, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and in coordination with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), to award grants to State cancer registries that receive funds that would enable them to expand their ability to monitor and evaluate the quality of cancer care, develop information concerning the quality of cancer care, and monitor cancer survivorship
• Added Section 399E-2 to the Public Health Service Act requiring the Secretary of HHS, through CDC and in coordination with NCI, to establish the Cancer Surveillance System and provide for the development, expansion, and evaluation of the cancer registries
• Reauthorized the National Program of Cancer Registries
• Decreased the matching funds required of cancer registry grantees from $1 for every $3 of Federal funds to $1 for every $5 of Federal funds

Title III—Monitoring and Evaluating the Quality of Cancer Care and Outcomes. Title III would have added Section 904 to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) statute requiring the Secretary of HHS, through AHRQ and in collaboration with CDC and NCI, to conduct and support research pertaining to the measurement, evaluation, and improvement of the quality of cancer care; take steps to enhance the usefulness of such research to improve patient care; and disseminate such information appropriately.

Title IV—Strengthening Comprehensive Cancer Control. Title IV would have added a Section 430B to the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of HHS, through CDC and in consultation with AHRQ and NCI, to establish a National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program to improve the quality of cancer care.

Title V—Improving Navigation and System Coordination. Title V would have added Part R to Title III of the Public Health Service Act entitled "Cancer Prevention and Treatment." The Secretary of HHS would have been required to 1) award grants to develop, implement, and evaluate cancer case management programs to enhance the quality of cancer care through improved access and navigation, and 2) award grants to facilitate the development of a coordinated system to improve the quality of cancer care.

Title VI—Establishing Programs in Palliative Care. Title VI would have amended the new Part R to require the Secretary of HHS to award grants to develop, implement, and evaluate model programs for the delivery of palliative care for individuals with cancer (with special emphasis on children) and their families.

Title VII—Establishing Survivorship Programs. Title VI would have:

• Added a new Section 417F to the Public Health Service Act that would have required the Secretary of HHS to award grants to 1) conduct and support research regarding the unique health challenges associated with cancer survivorship, and 2) carry out demonstration projects to develop post-treatment public health programs and services, including followup care and monitoring, that would support and improve the long-term quality of life for cancer survivors, including children
• Amended Section 412 of the Public Health Service Act by adding cancer survivorship to the section

Title VII—Programs for End-of-Life Care. Title VII would have amended the new Part R to require the Secretary of HHS to award grants to develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based programs for the delivery of quality cancer care during the end of life to individuals with cancer (with a special emphasis on children) and their families.

Title VIII—Developing Training Curriculums. Title VII would have amended the new Part R to require the Secretary of HHS to award grants for the development of curriculums for health care provider training regarding the assessment, monitoring, improvement, and delivery of quality cancer care.

Title X—Conducting Reports. Title X would have required the Secretary of HHS to enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine to develop reports to evaluate quality cancer programs and identify gaps and impediments to quality cancer care.

Status and Outlook

S. 2965 was introduced on September 18, 2002, and was referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Although there was no further action on this legislation during the 107th Congress, it is anticipated that similar legislation will be introduced in the 108th Congress.