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

May 9, 2003

Ms. SNOWE (for herself, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, Mr. WARNER, Mr. HOLLINGS, Mr. KERRY, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. CARPER, Mr. ALLEN, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mrs. LINCOLN, Mr. FITZGERALD, Mr. DORGAN, Mr. CORZINE, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. CHAFEE, Mr. SMITH, Mr. HARKIN, Ms. MIKULSKI, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. NELSON of Nebraska, Mr. CRAIG, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, and Mr. LAUTENBERG) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

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