H.R 1151

Prostate Cancer Advocates,

On Wednesday, November 30, 2016 the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a hearing to examine the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and discuss H.R. 1151, the USPSTF Transparency and Accountability Act of 2016.

At the beginning of the hearing, Chairman Joseph Pitts (R-PA) entered ZERO’s official public comments on the legislation into the Congressional Record.

The Bill

Authored by Vice Chairwoman of the Committee Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Congressman Bobby Rush (D-IL), the bill would ensure a more informed decision around screening recommendations for the PSA-based screening for prostate cancer. The bill makes the following changes to the USPSTF:

Requires specialists and sub-specialists to be involved in reviewing the preventive services that the task force examines;
Creates a preventive services advisory board composed of patient groups like ZERO, providers, and federal agencies to ensure they are all involved with USPSTF decisions; and
Helps to ensure other Federal Government departments and agencies like the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Department of Defense (DoD), and others include their research in the recommendation process.
Witnesses

Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, PhD, MD, MAS, Chairperson of the USPSTF;
Dr. John H. Lynch, a prostate cancer survivor who is the Chairman of the Department of Urology at Georgetown University as well as a member of the American Urological Association (AUA); and
Dr. John Meigs, Jr., the President of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
What’s Next?

ZERO will continue to stay vigilant regarding the new Administration’s plans for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and communicate with both the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Ways and Means. ZERO will also continue to work closely with Congresswoman Blackburn (R-TN) and Congressman Rush (D-IL) regarding how H.R. 1151 fits in the larger ACA picture.

If you have specific questions or would like more information, you can review the webcast here or send us an email at advocacy@zerocancer.org.