The following letter was published in the Omaha World Herald on June 10, 2018.
I want to thank Rep. Don Bacon for signing on two important pieces of legislation in the last few weeks that would change the future for cancer patients and their families, if the bills pass.
The first is the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act. It would expand access to palliative care, which is care given alongside curative treatment to lessen the impact of negative side effects.
The legislation is designed to increase awareness of palliative care, which improves patient outcomes and reduces unwanted medical care by keeping a patient’s quality of life goals at the center of decision-making. The bill would also likely increase the number of palliative care providers.
The second is a bill that would close a loophole in colonoscopy coverage for Medicare patients. Unlike private insurance, if a Medicare patient has a polyp removed during a routine screening, they are likely to wake up to a $300 to $400 out-of-pocket expense. A bill being considered in Congress would close that loophole and stop the nasty surprise for seniors that often becomes a deterrent to getting timely colonoscopies.
These initiatives are important to me because I lost a grandson and sister to cancer. Catching cancer early and giving patients every opportunity to have the best possible experience during and after treatment are top priorities for me.
I appreciate Bacon’s support on these two issues.
Stephen G. Jackson, Omaha
American Cancer Society volunteer