Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation Funds Research, Expands Access to Screening, Protects Patients from Receiving Surprise Medical Bills
Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, today commended the hard work of Congress to reach a bipartisan, bicameral agreement that will fund programs that directly benefit breast cancer patients, remove barriers to care for women who cannot afford or do not have access to breast health programs and provide protections to patients who are going through breast cancer treatment. The legislation has passed the House and Senate and is now headed to President Donald Trump for signature.
“During the 116th Congress, Komen and its advocates have been pushing for legislation that will remove barriers to care for so many patients who are already struggling and continue cutting-edge research into new and more effective treatments,” said Molly Guthrie, director of public policy and advocacy for Susan G. Komen. “We appreciate the work of lawmakers to reach an agreement that will fund programs that are critical to Komen’s mission and help so many who have been impacted by breast cancer.”
The legislation will specifically benefit the breast cancer community by:
- Increasing funding for biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $1.25 billion, including $200 million for the National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Funding the Department of Defense’s Peer-Reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program at $150 million, allowing it to issue research grants next year
- Funding the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCDEP) at $197 million, ensuring uninsured and underinsured women have access to breast cancer screening, diagnosis and navigation into treatment
- Reauthorizing the Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young (EARLY) Act, providing continued investment in education and programing for young women with breast cancer
- Enacting the Protecting Access to Lifesaving Screenings Act (PALS) Act, which extends the moratorium on the implementation of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force screening recommendations for breast cancer until 2023
- Protecting patients against surprise medical billing (SMB) by appointing an independent arbiter who would settle disagreements between providers and insurers over how much to pay for surprise medical bills
- Approving the CLINICAL TREATMENT Act, which will require Medicaid to cover routine care costs for enrollees with life threatening conditions on clinical trials
- Making permanent the reduction of the medical expense threshold at 7.5 percent
- Creating new transparency requirements for health plans to share information about drug costs and relationships with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)
- Providing a second round of stimulus checks for Americans
- Providing $300-per-week in supplemental federal unemployment benefits
- Allowing rollover for health and dependent care flexible spending arrangements
- Allowing above-the-line deduction for charitable giving up to $300 for individuals
For more information on the legislation and provisions supporting breast cancer patients, click here.
