June 25, 2004

WASHINGTON, DC – House Republican Conference Chairman Deborah Pryce (R-OH) today joined Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson in unveiling a transitional benefit to make oral cancer medicines immediately available to ailing
seniors:                      

“Today we celebrate a bright and shining moment that marks the start of a wonderful opportunity to help so many cancer patients across this country,” Pryce said. “Certainly
we do not speak with joy about cancer, but we can speak with joy and promise about
furthering our commitment to helping the millions of people across our nation who are
fighting their own battles with cancer each and every day. 

“We’re capitalizing on our vast public investment in cancer research that has yielded
new and better medications for cancer – many of which are only available in oral form. 
This initiative will get these breakthrough oral medications into the hands of seniors
fighting cancer so that they have the best opportunity possible to beat the
disease.

“As we take today’s step toward providing the best tools modern medicine has given us
to fight cancer, let’s gather our armies once again and march forward until we meet the
day when cancer is eliminated from our lives for good.”    

It is estimated that millions of new Medicare beneficiaries will be diagnosed with cancer between 2004 and 2005.  While the prescription drug benefit will begin in 2006,
coverage of oral cancer drugs will be accelerated to begin in 2004.

The transitional benefit is based off of legislation Pryce introduced during the last two Congresses, the “Access to Oral Cancer Therapies Act,” which would provide Medicare coverage of all oral anti-cancer drugs.  This benefit was included as part of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Modernization, and Improvement Act signed into law by the President on December 8, 2003.  Under this law, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services was charged with putting together the new benefit, which is
being unveiled today.