Access to Cancer Therapies Act of 2003

Access to Cancer Therapies Act of 2003 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to extend Medicare coverage to all oral drugs prescribed for use as an anticancer agent for a medically accepted indication.

[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1288 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1288

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage 
        under the Medicare Program of all oral anticancer drugs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 13, 2003

    Ms. Pryce of Ohio (for herself, Mrs. Myrick, Mr. Greenwood, Mr. 
 Tancredo, Mr. Houghton, Mr. King of New York, Mr. Goode, Mr. Castle, 
    Mr. Hyde, Mr. Wamp, Mr. Shuster, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. Portman, Mr. 
   LaTourette, Mrs. Biggert, Mr. LoBiondo, Mr. Hobson, Mr. Burton of 
 Indiana, Mr. Tiahrt, Mr. Smith of Michigan, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Bachus, Ms. 
DeGette, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Israel, Ms. Lee, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Mrs. 
 Maloney, Mr. John, Mr. Green of Texas, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Pomeroy, Mr. 
    Turner of Texas, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Strickland, Mr. Pallone, Mr. 
 Pascrell, Ms. Berkley, Mr. Holt, Mr. Frost, Mr. Serrano, Mrs. Lowey, 
    Mr. Murtha, Mr. McIntyre, Mr. Inslee, Mr. Moore, Mr. Carson of 
   Oklahoma, Mr. Lucas of Kentucky, Mr. Meehan, Mr. George Miller of 
    California, Mr. Brown of Ohio, and Mr. Burgess) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
  Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage 
        under the Medicare Program of all oral anticancer drugs.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Access to Cancer Therapies Act of 
2003''.

SEC. 2. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF ALL ANTICANCER ORAL DRUGS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1861(s)(2)(Q) of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)(Q)) is amended by striking ``chemotherapeutic 
agent for a given indication,'' and all that follows and inserting 
``agent for a medically accepted indication (as defined in subsection 
(t)(2)(B));''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1834(j)(5)(F)(iv) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395m(j)(5)(F)(iv)) is amended by striking ``therapeutic''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to drugs furnished on or after the date that is 90 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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