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U.S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier has announced a new bipartisan piece of legislation aimed at helping patients diagnosed with cancer receive the information and assistance they need with the Patient Navigation Assistance Act.
If approved the bill itself would be used to expand the use of “patient navigators” — members of a healthcare team who help provide patients with the information and resources they need to navigate the healthcare system. Specifically House Resolution 6808 would require Medicaid to reimburse a patient for these services.
“Patient navigators guide cancer patients and their families through the complexities of the health care system by providing services like communicating with a patient’s health care team, managing medical paperwork, connecting patients with doctors, scheduling appointments, arranging transportation to and from treatment, and answering insurance questions,” said DeSaulnier (D-Concord). “They have been shown to reduce health care disparities in undeserved populations and improve the mental health of cancer patients.”
Patient navigator services help cancer patients manage the difficult task of working through treatment options be it through small services like transportation to a doctor, or large such as explaining treatment and payment options.
A cancer survivor himself, DeSaulnier said he understands the fear and confusion that can arise from receiving a positive diagnosis and trying to figure out what to do next.
“As someone who has heard the three words ‘you have cancer’ and immediately experienced the confusion of thoughts, fears, anxieties, and unknowns that come with it, I know that having a trained professional to help provide logistical and emotional assistance through the complicated treatment process is beneficial and reassuring,” said DeSaulnier, whose district includes Danville and Alamo.
The Patient Navigation Assistance Act is being cosponsored by Congressman Ted Poe (R-Texas), co-chair of the Congressional Cancer Survivors Caucus also a survivor of cancer.
“This bill will ensure Medicaid patients are reimbursed by the state for patient navigation services received. Whether it is arranging transportation to and from the hospital, helping patients to better communicate with their doctors, helping patients better understand their diagnosis and treatment process, or providing counseling and support, patient navigators alleviate burdens placed on patients,” Poe said.
DeSaulnier announced the proposed legislation on Friday while hosting the East Bay Biden Cancer Community Summit, a series of community meetings advocating for the fight against cancer.
