Health Reform Bill Signed Into Law; Several Provisions Will Assist Americans with Brain Tumors

April 7, 2010

President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law (Public Law 111-148) on March 23, 2010. This followed a long weekend of work by the House of Representatives that ended with approval of the health care bill by a vote of 219 to 212. This bill had been approved by the United States Senate on December 24, 2009.

One week later, on March 30, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, which included a number of health-related financing and revenue changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

With the President’s signature on these two pieces of legislation, the process begins to implement an insurance (more...)

Posted in General News, Headlines, Health Care Reform

Congress Poised to Take Final Vote on Health Care Reform; NABTC Urges Action

March 16, 2010

Final House and Senate votes on the health care reform legislation are expected the week of March 15, although some reports have suggested a delay in the vote timing. The House will consider the Senate-passed bill, and then both Houses are scheduled to consider amendments to the underlying Senate bill. While Democratic leaders and President Obama are pressing for the “yes” votes necessary for passage, there is much press coverage of the procedures that may be used to secure passage of the reform bill.

The North American Brain Tumor Coalition has not commented on those procedural matters, but it has once again joined with colleagues in the patient advocacy community to articulate the elements of health reform that are (more...)

Posted in General News, Health Care Reform

NABTC Applauds Inclusion of Clinical Trials Coverage in Senate Health Reform Bill

January 18, 2010

The North American Brain Tumor Coalition actively supported the efforts of Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to provide clinical trials coverage to patients through the health reform bill, and NABTC applauds the action by the Senate to include this provision in its reform package. The Senate provision would require health and insurance plans to pay for the routine patient care costs for those enrolled in clinical trials, in a manner consistent with coverage of those costs if the patient were receiving standard therapy outside a trial.

This provision of the Senate bill is of critical importance for individuals who wish to enroll in clinical trials, which may represent their best treatment option. Third-party coverage of trials, by removing (more...)

Posted in Advocacy Positions, Health Care Reform

NABTC Joins Advocates in Describing Elements of Health Reform Bill to Assist the Disabled

January 18, 2010

The North American Brain Tumor Coalition joined more than 100 organizations in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) that describes elements that must be retained in the final health reform bill to assist those who are in the so-called Medicare waiting period. These organizations, all supporters of the Coalition to End the Two-Year Wait for Medicare, have been a strong voice for the disabled during the health reform effort.

In its letter, the Coalition to End the Two-Year Wait for Medicare acknowledged that neither the House or Senate bill eliminates the waiting period. However, the letter applauded the House and Senate for expanding Medicaid and for providing tax credits that (more...)

Posted in Advocacy Positions, Health Care Reform

NABTC Urges Senate Approval of Brown-Hutchison Clinical Trials Amendment

December 16, 2009

The North American Brain Tumor Coalition is urging Senators to approve the Brown-Hutchison amendment to require insurance coverage of clinical trials. The bipartisan amendment, sponsored by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and offered as an amendment to the health reform bill, would require insurance and health plans to pay for the routine patient care costs that are incurred by patients who enroll in clinical trials. The amendment would ensure that patients enjoy insurance coverage for care in trials that is comparable to the coverage they would enjoy outside a trial.

The Senate is attempting to finish its work on health reform before Christmas Day, so efforts to advance the clinical trials amendment must be (more...)

Posted in Advocacy Positions, Brain Tumor Research, Health Care Reform

NABTC Identifies Essential Elements of Health Care Reform for Brain Tumor Patients

September 28, 2009

The North American Brain Tumor Coalition is closely monitoring the current deliberations of the Senate Finance Committee on its health reform bill and will remain vigilant during the remainder of the legislative process to protect the interests of brain tumor patients.

Individuals with brain tumors sometimes find that they cannot purchase health insurance at the time they most need it, and even those with insurance may face crippling financial burdens due to high out-of-pocket costs. Even though brain tumor care in the United States can be outstanding, it is not necessarily available to all who need it. To improve brain tumor patients’ access to care, the NABTC supports a strong health reform package.

As the Congress returned to (more...)

Posted in Advocacy Positions, Headlines, Health Care Reform

NABTC Articulates Principles of Quality Care for Brain Tumor Patients

July 22, 2009

The North American Brain Tumor Coalition has joined with other patient advocacy organizations in pressing Congress to approve health care reform that will ensure all Americans access to quality care. The Coalition has also developed and circulated to policy-makers a set of principles for quality care for brain tumor patients.

Receiving a diagnosis of a brain tumor is the beginning of a difficult journey for brain tumor patients, and the health care system is often not responsive to the needs of those patients. The Coalition has outlined the needs of brain tumor patients and will be working to ensure that a reformed health care system is responsive to these needs.

The NABTC document, Principles of Quality Care for Brain (more...)

Posted in Advocacy Positions, General News, Headlines, Health Care Reform

NABTC Joins Cancer Leadership Council In Urging Health Reform That Responds to Needs of Cancer Patients

July 22, 2009

The North American Brain Tumor Coalition joined its colleagues in the cancer community in writing all Members of Congress to express their support for legislation that will ensure all Americans access to health care. The Cancer Leadership Council also identified some key provisions that should be included in any reform bill. These elements are: 1) insurance market reforms to guarantee that individuals who have pre-existing conditions will nonetheless have access to health insurance, 2) protection from annual and lifetime insurance caps, 3) elimination of cost-sharing requirements for prevention and screening services, 4) protection of important coverage standards to ensure that the policies that Americans are offered provide them comprehensive care, 5) inclusion of consumer advocates in advisory panels (more...)

Posted in Advocacy Positions, General News, Health Care Reform