Community Oncology Alliance Rallies to Save Cancer Care

Oncologists, nurses, administrators, patients, caregivers, and cancer survivors came together to discuss community cancer care with members of Congress at the 4th Annual Cancer Care Legislative Day in Washington, DC, on October 26, 2005. The Community Oncology Alliance has showcased highlights of the meeting in a video urging the cancer care community to convince their congressional representatives to cosponsor The Community Cancer Preservation Act of 2005. The legislation, also known as HR4098, seeks to ensure access to quality cancer care in the face of nearly $500 million in Medicare reimbursement cuts for oncologists in 2006. Representative Nancy L. Johnson (CT) appealed to attendees, “Remember, democracy is representational government, and if your representative doesn’t know, you can’t blame them for not doing. There is absolutely no way any representative could know what it takes to deliver cancer care.”