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

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

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.

END