Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

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By Mr. WYDEN (for himself and Mr. SMITH):

S. 999. A bill to provide for a public response to the public health crisis of pain, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

By Mr. WYDEN:

S. 1000. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to increase the number of permanent faculty in palliative care medicine at accredited allopathic and osteopathic medical schools and to promote the development of faculty careers as academic palliative specialists who emphasize teaching; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

By Mr. WYDEN

S. 1001. A bill to establish hospice demonstration projects and a hospice grant program for beneficiaries under the medicare program under title XVII

[Page: S4941]

of the Social Security Act, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.

Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, several weeks ago, I outlined what I believed this country needs to do in order to address the true issues related to how we care for those who are dying. Today, I am introducing 3 bills to improve access to pain management, increase the number of providers trained to care for those with life-threatening illness, and improve the Medicare hospice benefit.

Our medical system is geared towards curing patients, and gives short shrift to those we cannot cure. Modern advances in technology allow us to live longer, but that also means that many of us will live longer with chronic diseases including pain.

The Conquering Pain Act will help those patients living and dying in pain, support their families and assist providers in getting information and guidance. This legislation will provide an opportunity for the country to develop and test different ways of providing pain management to patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It would create and fund regional networks to assist patients so they would not have to wait until normal business hours to get relief and help providers receive timely information and guidance as they treat difficult cases. This bill would create a website and require access to it in health care settings so families, patients and providers can have instant information. In addition, the bill requires several studies so we can better understand the other roadblocks for patients seeking pain management. These roadblocks include the lack of health insurance coverage for pain management and the interaction of the enforcement of laws concerning controlled substances and the delivery of appropriate pain management. I am pleased that my colleague from Oregon is cosponsoring the Conquering Pain Act.

Another aspect of our health care system that needs strengthening, is in assuring that we have providers who know how to provide support and comfort care to the dying. The Palliative Care Training Act will increase the number of providers trained in palliative care. Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness. It does so through the prevention and relief of suffering by early identification, assessment and treatment of pain and other problems. Palliative care affirms life and regards dying as a normal process. It neither hastens nor postpones death and is applicable early in the course of illness, in conjunction with other therapies that are intended to prolong life, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and offers a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death.

My legislation provides grants to individuals with appointments as junior faculty at accredited medical schools so they will teach other providers palliative care. This is modeled after existing awards for the training of other specialties. When it comes down to it, assuring there is faculty in schools to teach this area of medicine, is an inexpensive way of strengthening the health care system in providing this needed care. I am pleased to note that when the National Hospice and Palliative Care Association recently testified before the Senate Health, Education and Labor Committee, they identified this legislation as addressing an important need.

As we look at how to better care for those at the end of life, Medicare's hospice benefit bears examination. When the benefit was added to Medicare, it was hailed as a cost effective benefit that would assist many. In truth, few Americans know what hospice really is and the benefits it can provide. Too often seniors are advised of the benefits too late to get the full effect of the medical, social and spiritual support this benefit can provide. Part of the reason for this is Medicare requires the patient to choose between continuing to seek ``curative'' care or hospice and palliative care. This means that literally the patient must choose between the hope of a cure and accepting that they are dying. Not many of us would want to give up seeking a cure or want to give up hope. However, that is what the Medicare program requires now. The Medicare Hospice Demonstration Act tests the idea that patients would not have to give up seeking ``curative'' care, to get hospice. It is my belief that as people experience what hospice can do for them and for their families, they will find they can accept living the end of their lives with hospice and palliative care instead of seeking less effective care that will not cure them or enhance the quality of their life.

It the U.S. Senate is going to examine end of life issues, we should not just look at legal issues. I believe these proposals are essential elements of the health care system that need to be supported and strengthened.

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bills be printed in the RECORD.

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