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Patient Navigator Outreach and Chronic Disease Prevention Act of 2005

Date: June 13, 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Health and Health Care


PATIENT NAVIGATOR OUTREACH AND CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - June 13, 2005)

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Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of The Patient Navigator, Outreach and Chronic Disease Prevention Act of 2005. As a co-sponsor of the bill last year, I am fully aware of the benefits the bill will provide. Specifically, the bill would establish a 5-year, $25 million demonstration program for patient navigator services through Community Health Centers, National Cancer Institute centers, Indian Health Service centers, and Rural Health Clinics, as well as certain non-profit entities that provide patient navigator services.

Further, the goal of a patient navigator is to improve health outcomes by helping patients, particularly in underserved communities, to overcome the barriers they face in getting early screening and appropriate follow-up treatment.

Patient navigators are individuals who know the local community and can help patients navigate through the complicated health care system. They help with referrals and follow-up treatment and direct patients to programs and clinical trials that are available to help them get the treatment and care they need to fight cancer and other chronic diseases. In addition, the patient navigator guides patients to health coverage that they may be eligible to receive. They also conduct ongoing outreach to health disparity communities to encourage people to get screenings and early detection services.

Racial and ethnic minorities benefit from patient navigators because they ensure that patients will have someone at their sides who understands their language, culture, and barriers to care, helping them get in to see a doctor early and work their way through our complicated health care system to get the coverage and treatment they need to stay healthy. The same applies to those in rural communities who face significant geographic barriers and limited access to care.

Again, I strongly support this legislation and I hope my colleagues will do the same.

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