NCCS applauds establishment of cancer treatment planning and care coordination reimbursement codes
NCCS commends the action of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in establishing two new Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes for cancer treatment planning and care coordination. The codes, for treatment planning and care coordination for initial treatment and a change of treatment regimen, will go into effect on April 1, […]
ASCO calls for abstracts for 2012 annual meeting
The American Society of Clinical Oncology 2012 Scientific Program Committee has announced that abstracts are now being accepted for the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting, to be held June 1-5, 2012, at McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill. The 2012 Meeting’s theme of “Collaborating to Conquer Cancer” will provide attendees an opportunity to discuss: Real-time electronic health records […]
The Medicaid cancer gap
Studying whether Medicaid coverage makes an individual healthier is a difficult task. Designing such an experiment would be challenging: There’s likely no ethics board in the country that would approve a study that gives health coverage to some individuals, denies it to others and sees which group does better. But Medicaid does, sometimes, allow for […]
ASCO announces new Cancer Survivorship Booklet – download now!
After cancer treatment is complete, people often face a unique set of challenges and experience mixed emotions as they return to everyday life. That is why ASCO is offering a new booklet designed to help patients prepare for this transition and focus on their long-term health. This free booklet helps people understand what to expect […]
Bill calling for written care plans for cancer patients introduced in Congress
Legislation created by leading cancer advocates and inspired by Institute of Medicine A bill aimed at making the cancer patient an informed and active participant in his or her own care was introduced in Congress on December 16th by Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) and Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA). The Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act (CCCIA) […]
Making sense of cancer screening updates
As experts alter course on guidelines for cancer screenings such as mammograms and the prostate-specific antigen test, the general public is understandably confused. Women at age 40 wonder if they should have a mammogram to look for breast cancer or wait until 50, as one U.S. organization suggests. Men of an age when prostate cancer […]
HHS to give states more flexibility to implement health reform
The Department of Health and Human Services today released a bulletin outlining proposed policies that will give states more flexibility and freedom to implement the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act ensures all Americans have access to quality, affordable health insurance. To achieve this goal, the law ensures that health insurance plans offered in […]
Manufacturing problems responsible for shortages of cancer drugs, says Government Accountability Office
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released its report on the state of shortages for cancer drugs and other conditions and has highlighted manufacturing problems as a major cause. Following current news reports on the shortages of many drugs used for cancer and other conditions, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions asked […]
Drug scarcity’s dire cost, and some ways to cope
When Jenny Morrill, who has been battling ovarian cancer since 2007, went to the hospital for her scheduled chemotherapy treatment in June, the nurse greeted her with both good news and bad. “She said, ‘The good news is that you’re doing really well on this drug Doxil. The bad news is that we have no […]
When care is worth it, even if end is death
An essay by Peter Bach, M.D. Twenty years ago, I helped save a man’s life. I met him in the emergency room of the hospital, just a year after I finished medical school. His cardiac monitor, the first thing I noticed, showed fast and irregular beats with bursts of a messy, wavy rhythm called ventricular […]
Status as a grandfathered health plan
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act NCCS endorsed Cancer Leadership Council comments The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius Secretary Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 RE: OCIIO-9991-IFC: Interim Final Rules for Group Health Plans and Health Insurance Coverage Relating to Status as a Grandfathered Health Plan Under the Patient Protection […]
Dependent coverage of children to age 26
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius Secretary Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 RE: OCIIO- 4150-IFC Dear Secretary Sebelius: The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) appreciates this opportunity to comment on the interim final rules related to coverage of dependents to age 26. […]
Cancer ‘always in the back of my mind’ for 3-time survivor
NCCS volunteer and Super Advocate, Jasan Zimmerman, is featured in a CNN Health article about childhood cancer survivors. The article references a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association that finds that survivors of childhood cancer are at increased risk of dying of second cancers and circulatory diseases 25 years or more after their diagnosis. […]
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship Supports Broad Adoption of Electronic Health Records
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) announced its support of the two final rules issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) for the electronic health record incentive programs at a briefing hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and […]
Cancer Advocacy Groups Discuss the Issues at ASCO
Last month, more than 33,000 people attended the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago. Advocacy groups had a chance to meet with health care professionals and pharmaceutical industry representatives to discuss the latest issues in cancer. The latest issue of Oncology Times features an article, “ASCO Venue Provides Forums for Various Advocacy Discussions and Sound […]
One in Four elderly need care decisions made for them
New study results demonstrates the value of people making their end-of-life wishes known and designating someone to make treatment decisions for them. The study, described in an Associated Press article, “1 in 4 elderly need care decisions made for them,” showed that a significant number of the elderly will eventually need someone to make end-of-life decisions about their care. […]
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship Applauds Healthcare Reform
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS), a leading non-profit cancer advocacy organization, praises members of Congress for the passage of the healthcare reform bill. The bill includes key provisions that protect patients, bringing America’s 12 million cancer survivors and the 1.5 million more that are diagnosed each year closer than ever to getting the […]
What Healthcare Reform Means to Cancer Survivors
Yesterday, President Obama signed off on the historic healthcare reform bill, the most sweeping U.S. social policy legislation in decades. While the Senate begins considering the reconciliation package – the package of modifications to the health reform bill – now is a good time to get up to speed on what’s included in the bill, when […]
Kennedy Book, President of A&E Television Networks, To Receive Awards NCCS Gala
NCCS has announced the honorees for its Rays of Hope Gala, which takes place in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, April 28th, 2010. Members of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s family will accept an award for the memoir, True Compass. Additionally, Abbe Raven, President & CEO of A&E Television Networks, will be recognized for taking […]
Examining End-of-Life Care
Two recent articles in the trade publication, Oncology Times examine end-of-life care in America. The first article, “Health Reform May Push End-of-Life Discussion Forward,” references comments made by NCCS senior health policy advisor, Ellen Stovall, that address patients’ needs and the benefits of end-of-life care planning. The second article, “Patient Mindset Found Important to Participating in Advanced Care […]
The Many Shades of Survivorship
A recent article in CURE magazine, “The Many Shades of Survivorship,” takes a look at health disparities in cancer education and care across the country and addresses what some groups and communities have done to address cultural issues and provide support.
NCCS Joins the Commission on Cancer
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) has accepted an invitation to join the Commission on Cancer (CoC), a multidisciplinary organization administered by the American College of Surgeons dedicated to reducing the morbidity and mortality of cancer through education, standards setting, and the monitoring of quality of care. The CoC has invited NCCS, a key […]
Offering Care for the Caregiver
Caregiving can be a demanding, exhausting, full-time job. Yet, doctors do not always consider caregivers to be an integral part of a health care team. A recentNew York Times article, “Offering Care for the Caregiver,” explores the critical role of caregiving and what is being done in the medical community to improve the doctor-patient-caregiver relationship. The article […]
Healing, Physically, Yet Still Not Whole
“Recuperation is just physical.[…] But recovery means wholeness: mind, body and spirit.” This distinction, made by prostate cancer survivor Dana Jennings in his latest New York Times Well Blog post, “Healing Physically, Yet Still Not Whole,” is an important one for cancer survivors. In so many instances cancer patiets receive treatment for their disease, but their psychological, […]
Did you know the Cancer Survival Toolbox is available in Spanish?
The award-winning Cancer Survival Toolbox®, which has helped thousands of cancer survivors and their families navigate the complexities of a cancer diagnosis for more than 10 years, is available in Spanish-language CDs and MP3 files. New hematologic programs that focus on living with multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma are also available in Spanish. This information was recently featured in a blog […]
It Takes a Team to “Breakaway from Cancer”
You don’t have to fight cancer alone. Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer initiative aims to raise awareness of the comprehensive array of resources available to cancer patients – from prevention to education and support to financial assistance and survivorship. For the fourth consecutive year, NCCS is a charitable partner of Breakaway from Cancer. Other partners include […]
Katie Couric One of 20 Named “Rays of Hope” for Cancer Survivorship
Last night, the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) recognized 20 individuals and groups that have made extraordinary contributions to cancer survivorship. NCCS’s “Ray of Hope” awards were given to Rep. Lois Capps, Katie Couric, Sam Donaldson, Dr. John Durant, Dr. Harold Freeman, Scott Hamilton, former Sen. Connie Mack III, Pearl Moore, Dr. Fitzhugh Mullan, […]
NCCS Presents Awards to those with the Passion for Cancer Survivorship
On April 19, the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) celebrated the individuals and organizations who share a passion for improving quality cancer care at its annual Ribbon of Hope® Awards Gala at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. The honorees included actress and model, Karen Duffy; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, Dr. […]
