As the Senate moves forward with consideration of additional amendments, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is planning on offering an amendment requiring that all third-party payers cover routine patient care costs incurred by patients enrolled in clinical trials.  The amendment will apply to all phases of clinical trials for cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Cancer advocates have worked steadily for more than a decade to ensure that third-party payers cover the routine patients care costs incurred in clinical trials.  The Medicare clinical trials coverage policy has been in place since 2000, and more than half of all states have enacted clinical trials coverage laws.  These coverage standards ensure that cancer patients can receive their care in clinical studies, providing them access to a variety of treatment options and ensuring that the pace of clinical research is not slowed by reimbursement issues.

C3 strongly believes that it is important that the health care reform effort build on the successes of the last decade and is pleased to join with the Cancer Leadership Council in endorsing the clinical trials amendment that Senator Brown will be introducing.  Senator Brown’s amendment will establish a policy for third-party coverage of routine patient care costs for patients participating in clinical trials and will help expand access to clinical trials.

As the Senate moves forward with consideration of its health care reform bill we will keep you posted on the status of Senator Brown’s clinical trials amendment.  For a side-by-side comparison of the various provisions in both the Senate and House health care reform bills that affect colorectal cancer patients click here.