Public Policy & Advocacy News

LRF Public Policy and Advocacy News offer advocates the latest information on legislative and policy issues of high priority to the lymphoma community. Learn more about these issues and how together we can affect change and grow support for those issues most important to lymphoma patients and survivors.

President Obama to Appoint Harold Varmus, M.D., to Lead the National Cancer Institute
Former Director of the National Institutes of Health will lead the U.S. cancer enterprise.

U.S. Cancer Costs Double Over Past 20 Years
The cost of treating cancer in the United States has nearly doubled in the past 20 years, according to a new report.

President’s Cancer Panel Releases 2008-2009 Annual Report
New report focuses on reducing environmental cancer risk.

President Nominates Harvard Physician to Lead Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
New Administrator will head the federal agency which administers Medicare, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.

Administration Announces First Steps in Implementing Health Reform
New Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight Office to oversee health insurance reforms.

Institute of Medicine: U.S. Clinical Trials at "Breaking Point"
An overhaul of the National Cancer Institute’s cooperative group program is needed to ensure it can continue to conduct important cancer clinical research, according to a new report issued by the Institute of Medicine.

Health Reform Legislation Signed Into Law
Many lawmakers are calling the health reform bill passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Obama the most far-reaching health legislation since the creation of the Social Security and Medicare programs.
 
NIH and FDA Announce New Joint Program
The new partnership between two federal agencies will combine strengths to speed new treatments to patients.
 
Federal Government Releases New Standards for Health Information Technology
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced a proposed regulation to certify health information technology, to qualify users for higher Medicare payments and bolster patient confidence in new technologies. 
 
Continue to visit the this page for continuing updates on these and other policy issues important to the lymphoma community.