Advocates from Across the US Discuss Key Survivorship Issues at Cancer Policy Advocate Training
Left to Right: Kelsey Nepote (NCCS Policy and Advocacy Manager), Shelley Fuld Nasso (NCCS CEO), Madeline Long-Gill (CPAT Attendee and Founder & President of Supporting Our Sisters International Inc.), and Elizabeth Goss (NCCS Policy Counsel)
Last week, advocates from across the country came together for the NCCS Cancer Policy Advocate Training (CPAT). Participants spent two days being trained on the most pressing policy issues affecting cancer survivorship care in the United States. The program agenda focused on the needs of cancer survivors from diagnosis to treatment and through long-term survivorship care. In addition, the program considered policy activities that may foster or support reforms to make the cancer care system more responsive to survivors’ needs.
The first day included panels focused on current research findings regarding late and long-term effects, survivorship care planning and the delivery of coordinated care, and challenges facing the cancer care workforce. The second day included presentations that examined if new value-based cancer care payment systems foster better survivorship care and addressed disparities in survivorship care.
In addition to the training, many advocates participated in a lobby day and met with representatives from their Congressional offices seeking support for the Planning Actively for Cancer Treatment (PACT) Act (H.R. 2846). The PACT Act—a bipartisan effort being led by Congresswoman Lois Capps (CA-24) and Congressman Charles Boustany (LA-3)—would establish a new Medicare service for cancer care planning. Many of the advocates did not receive coordinated care while undergoing treatment and did not receive a survivorship care plan once treatment ended. This legislation is personal to these individuals and many more.
We are grateful to those who attended and the esteemed faculty that presented and look forward to continuing this program with a closing webinar, which is open to the public, on Wednesday, August 5 from 3:00pm-4:30pm EDT. This program was made possible through the support of Lilly Oncology, Merck, Novartis, and Pfizer.
Some of our favorite tweets from #CPAT15
Technology can create bridges: virtual rounds, discharge planning, coordination, prevent readmissions #CPAT15 Dr Ana Maria Lopez #cancercare
— NCCS – National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (@CancerAdvocacy) June 26, 2015
"Nothing happens without changes in policy." -Dr. Huerta @drhuerta at #CPAT15 pic.twitter.com/fwYgz0ze9B
— NCCS – National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (@CancerAdvocacy) June 26, 2015
Amazing #cancer care work outreaching to rural areas of Texas using an 18-wheeler, @Moncrief_Cancer #CPAT15 pic.twitter.com/A5Scm8Bj4E
— Rebecca Esparza (@rebeccaesparza) June 26, 2015
Most cancer patients are treated in the community so it's critical to link them to necessary survivorship resources and services #cpat15
— Elizabeth Franklin, PhD, MSW (@BiziFranklin) June 25, 2015
Advice to cancer survivors before and during tx: Talk to your care team about cancer treatment effects on health before therapy #CPAT15
— NCCS – National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (@CancerAdvocacy) June 25, 2015
