On April 27, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee approved, by voice vote, a bill (S. 898) aimed at improving the prevention, early detection, and treatment of chronic diseases among health disparity populations. The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health approved an identical bill (H.R. 1812) by voice vote the same day.
Sponsored by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Rep. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), the Patient Navigator Outreach and Chronic Disease Prevention Act would authorize $25 million through FY2010 for grants to provide individuals of health disparity populations with prevention, early detection, treatment, and appropriate follow-up care services for cancer and other chronic diseases. Under the bill, grants could be used for community outreach to populations that have been identified as underserved or having health disparities, patient referrals for treatment, assistance for individuals at risk of developing cancer or other chronic diseases, and assistance for patients to overcome barriers within the health care system. The grant program would sunset on September 30, 2010.
The House approved a similar bill in October 2004, but the Senate did not act on the measure before the end of the 108th Congress (see The Source, 10/8/04).
