Lymphedema Treatment Act

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3630, the Lymphedema Treatment Act, introduced by my friend and fellow Committee on Energy and Commerce member Jan Schakowsky, as well as the Subcommittee on Health member Buddy Carter, along with myself and more than 350 Members on both sides of the aisle.

This legislation would create a new Medicare benefit category, lymphedema compression treatment items, including standard and custom- fitted garments, and other items determined by HHS, for treatment of lymphedema.

As many of us know, thanks to a passionate and committed group of patient stakeholders, lymphedema is a chronic condition that may cause significant swelling and discomfort. It is often located in the arms and legs but can also occur in other parts of the body.

Unfortunately, there is no cure today for this condition, but patients are able to receive care that can mitigate some of the symptoms caused by lymphedema. One of the most basic elements of care is the application of compression garments to swollen body parts.

As it stands today, fee-for-service Medicare covers various forms of treatment for lymphedema but does not cover the basic compression supplies typically used in the regular treatment for this condition. This is a result of the outdated structure of traditional fee-for- service Medicare, which does not have an existing benefit category that works for lymphedema compression garments.

This legislation is yet another reminder that the fee-for-service Medicare as structured today under part B simply cannot keep pace with medical innovation. Private payers, including Medicare Advantage plans, have more flexibility to provide coverage for these products, especially if they add value to the care patients need.

As the popularity of Medicare Advantage demonstrates, there is a built-in incentive to provide better value for patients, meaning better outcomes and lower costs. It has been proven.

It has been discouraging to see an ever-growing number of situations where a particular drug--for instance, an entire class of Alzheimer's drugs recently restricted by CMS--or other medical products are not covered for seniors in Medicare fee-for-service when other patients in the private market, or even in Medicare Advantage, may have them covered.

I am hopeful that bills like the one that we are here to discuss today, where Congress continues to patch the inefficiencies in the Medicare program, not only benefit seniors but also help all of us recognize that seniors deserve greater Medicare reforms. Those reforms should empower patients with greater control over their healthcare decisions and more ability to tailor their health benefits to their personal needs, all with the goal of no senior being denied or having to lobby Congress to get the medical products they need. It makes sense.

Finally, I am encouraged to see that the new mandatory spending in this legislation will be fully offset, and I encourage my colleagues to continue to insist that we fully offset mandatory spending now and into the future. This is responsible. It is responsible legislating.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the sponsors for this bill, H.R. 3630, and the chairman, of course, and the ranking member of the full committee. I fully support this legislation and recommend a ``yes'' vote on final passage.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, this is a real good bill, a bipartisan bill. We worked very hard on it, and we have a great sponsor here and a Republican sponsor in Representative Buddy Carter, and I urge that we pass this as soon as possible. I assume the Senate will get to work and get this done, as well.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3630) to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of certain lymphedema compression treatment items under the Medicare program, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3630.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 3630, the Lymphedema Treatment Act. This bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Schakowsky will help Medicare beneficiaries suffering from lymphedema access needed compression garments.

Lymphedema is a condition caused by a chronic failure of the lymphatic system that results in the accumulation of lymph fluid and swelling in various parts of the body. Lymphedema can sometimes be a congenital condition but is more often a secondary complication of common health issues like burns or cancer.

Altogether, an estimated 3 to 5 million Americans are affected by this chronic condition, and if left untreated, individuals have a higher risk of hospitalization, disability, and even death.

While there is no known cure for lymphedema, it can be effectively treated and managed. Compression therapy is a critical component of treatment.

While Medicare covers some lymphedema treatments like compression pumps, Medicare does not cover the compression garments needed for ongoing lymphedema management because it lacks the legislative authority to cover these items.

The Lymphedema Treatment Act will close the unintended gap in coverage that prevents Medicare beneficiaries from accessing medically necessary, prescribed compression garments.

I thank Representative Schakowsky for her longtime advocacy on this issue and the more than 350 bipartisan Members who signed on in support of this legislation. This bill passed out of the Energy and Commerce Committee in July by a unanimous vote, and it will help ensure that patients with lymphedema have access to the full range of treatment they need.

Mr. Speaker, I urge its passage, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), the sponsor of this legislation and the chairwoman of the subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I also urge passage of this bill, another bipartisan bill where we all worked together from the Energy and Commerce Committee, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the committee for yielding.

I am just so happy that we see the Lymphedema Treatment Act on the floor today.

I thank my colleague on the Republican side, Buddy Carter, for being a cosponsor of the legislation and helping to put it forward with so many bipartisan sponsors of the legislation, over 350--what is it, 366?--cosponsors of the bill.

I look forward to passing it in the House today. There are enough Senators on the other side of the rotunda here that also have sponsored, so I look forward to it becoming the law of the land.

I thank all the advocates who worked so hard, including Heather Ferguson, who is the executive director of the Lymphedema Advocacy Group, and all the people whom she worked with to help make this pass. Heather is the mother of a son that has lymphedema. I thank all the constituents who worked so hard to make this happen.

Here is what it is about lymphedema. It is not only painful and debilitating; it is also incurable. But we are lucky that there actually is a remedy, a treatment for lymphedema.

Many of you may be familiar with it. You may not have known the name. Two-thirds of all lymphedema cases develop after cancer treatment. You see that swelling. But what we don't have is the kind of treatment that is actually needed.

Currently, Medicare does not cover these important compression garments, which is what can really help people so very much. My bill will actually finally expand access to these garments for lymphedema patients on Medicare.

This will absolutely help the 3 million Americans who have lymphedema to be able to have some of the relief that they need at a cost that they can afford. It will also reduce Medicare costs because instead of these people developing all kinds of other health

issues, they will be able to be treated with these compression garments.

Again, I thank Chairman Pallone, Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Representative Buddy Carter, and all the Members on both sides of the aisle. Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to endorse this wonderful bill and vote ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Lymphedema Treatment Act, and to pay tribute to my constituents with lymphedema and their loved ones.

Nearly ten million Americans currently suffer from lymphedema, symptoms of which include intense discomfort, recurring infections, and difficulty moving. Lymphedema is characterized by swelling of the arms and legs often caused by cancer or cancer treatments that result in the damage or blockage of the lymphatic system. There is no cure, but there are effective treatments. I want to take the time to recognize one of my constituents named Emma. Emma is 14 years old and was born with this incurable, progressive disease in her legs and feet. She first visited D.C. to advocate for this bill when she was 6 years old. Emma's advocacy has taught my team and me about lymphedema and the priorities for those living with this disease. She has shared about the painful complications and the need for the best treatment to be affordable.

Currently, Medicare does not cover the cost of compression treatment items. The Lymphedema Treatment Act would improve coverage for the treatment of lymphedema by extending coverage to include certain lymphedema compression treatment items. As a proud cosponsor and longtime supporter, I was excited to vote in support of H.R. 3630, the Lymphedema Treatment Act, when it came for a vote in the House of Representatives. I urge the Senate to move this critical legislation forward. We owe it to Emma and to all those suffering from lymphedema to get this bill signed into law. I also hope that private insurers will follow suit and do the right things with coverage for compression treatment items.

I thank Emma, her family and my many constituents who advocated for this and made a difference in pushing this forward.

Madam Speaker, I rise today regarding missed votes. Had I been present for Roll Call vote No. 482, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass S. 3369, I would have voted Yea. For Roll Call vote No. 483, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass S. 4359, 1 would have voted Yea. For Roll Call vote No. 484, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended H.R. 2250, I would have voted Yea. For Roll Call vote No. 485, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended H.R. 3630, I would have voted Yea.