Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10364-10366)
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Oct 13, 2009
Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of comprehensive cancer care planning services.
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct a two-year demonstration project for Medicare payment for comprehensive cancer care symptom management services furnished by an eligible entity in accordance with a described plan.
Directs the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities for establishing a new, or expanding an existing, palliative care and symptom management program for cancer patients.
Directs the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities to improve the quality of graduate and postgraduate training of physicians, nurses, and other health care providers, as well as continuing professional education, in palliative care and symptom management for such patients.
Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a program of grants for research on palliative care, symptom management, communication skills, and other end-of-life topics for such patients.
Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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