Prostate Net Educational Symposium – Prostate Cancer: Just the Facts – A

Mandate for Patient Centered Research

Scott T. WilliamsVice President

Men’s Health Network

June 16, 2010

Men’s Health Network

Men's Health Network (MHN) is a national DC based non-profit organization, founded in 1992, whose mission is to reach men and their families where they live, work, play, and pray with health prevention messages and tools, screening programs, educational materials, advocacy opportunities, and patient navigation.

Reach Men and Their Families - Live, Work, Play, and Pray Men at Work Healthy Sunday Community Health Centers, etc. Sports/Entertainment Franchises

Prostate Cancer and Men’s Health: Public Policy

Office of Men’s Health – Indian Health Service

HR 3590 (enrolled) SEC. 10221. INDIAN HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT. (a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection (b), S. 1790

entitled ‘‘A bill to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to revise and extend that Act, and for other purposes.’’, as reported by the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate in December 2009, is enacted into law.

Office of Indian Men’s and Indian Women’s Health: Establishes within the IHS an Office of Indian Men’s Health to complement the Office of Indian Women’s Health that exists in current law.

(A) IN GENERAL.—The Office of Indian Men’s Health shall be headed by a director, to be appointed by the Secretary.

(B) DUTIES.—The director shall coordinate and promote the health status of Indian men in the United States.

Congressional Men’s Health Caucus

Originally formed on May 7th, 2007 in the U.S. House of Representatives

Mission Raise awareness of men’s health issues Commitment to cancer research funding (i.e. prostate, etc.) on

federal level for men’s health Men’s Health Network Congressional Health Screenings (CHS)

…Going on NOW Improve condition of men’s health nationwide Men’s health federal government priority

Write your Member of Congress and encourage them to join the Congressional Men’s Health Caucus

Office of Men’s Health

Men and Families Health Care Act of 2009 was introduced by Representative Baron Hill (IN) and Tim Murphy (PA) – H.R. 2115 Introduced on April 27th, 2009 and referred to the House Committee

on Energy and Commerce Legislation would establish an office mirroring the Office of Women’s

Health at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Women’s Health has done a fantastic job – saving

thousands of women lives and improving the quality of life for millions more.

“WE NEED YOUR HELP” - Men’s Health Network has resources available online (menshealthnetwork.org) to write your Representative/Senator in support of this legislation – see me after for more details.

Office of Men’s Health - details

(1) Risks to the health and well-being of the Nation's men (and our families) are on the rise due to a lack of education, awareness, and pursuit of preventative screening and care--

(A) men are leading in 9 out of the top 10 causes of death; (B) 1 in 2 men versus 1 in 3 women in their lifetime will be diagnosed with cancer; (C) the life expectancy gap between men and women has increased from one year in

1920 to 5.2 years in 2005; and (D) studies show that women are 100 percent more likely than men to visit a doctor, have

regular physician check-ups, and obtain preventive screening tests for serious diseases. (2) While this health crisis is of particular concern to men, it is also a concern for women

regarding their fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers. (3) According to the Census Bureau, by the time men and women reach age 65, the ratio

of men to women reduces to 85 to 100. The growing disparity in this statistic suggests that among other factors, the declining health of men increases the risk of women entering retirement age as widows.

(4) According to the Administration on Aging, more than half of elderly widows now living in poverty were not poor before the death of their husbands.

(5) Men's health is a concern to Federal and State governments which absorb the enormous costs of premature death and disability, including the costs of caring for dependents left behind.

Office of Men’s Health – Prostate Cancer

(11) Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in the United States among men, accounting for 25 percent of all cancer cases-- (A) over 185,000 men will be newly diagnosed with prostate cancer this year

alone, and almost 29,000 will die; (B) costs associated with prostate cancer detection and treatments exceed $8

billion annually and represent 8 percent of cancer and 0.4 percent of all health-related expenditures in the United States;

(C) prostate cancer rates increase sharply with age, and more than 2/3 of such cases are diagnosed in men age 65 and older;

(D) 2/3 of annual prostate cancer expenditures in the United States are paid for by Medicare; and

(E) the incidence of prostate cancer and the resulting mortality rate in African-American men is twice that of all other men.

Office of Men’s Health -

(a) In General- The Secretary shall establish within the Department of Health and Human Services an office to be known as the Office of Men's Health. The Secretary shall appoint a director as head of the office.

(b) Activities- The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office of Men's Health, shall-- (1) conduct, support, coordinate, and promote programs and activities to improve the state of men's

health in the United States, including by working with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan; and

(2) provide for consultation among offices and agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services for the purposes of--

(A) coordinating public awareness, education, and screening programs and activities relating to men's health;

(B) coordinating programs and activities under title XVIII of the Social Security Act relating to men's health, including prostate cancer, diabetes, colorectal cancer, cholesterol, and mental health screening programs;

(C) coordinating public awareness programs and activities, including prostate cancer, diabetes, colorectal cancer, cholesterol, and mental health screening programs, for men identified at being at increased risk of these diseases;

(D) coordinating prostate-specific antigen (PSA), diabetes, cholesterol, and colorectal cancer screening programs and activities relating to men's prostate health, cardiovascular health, and mental health in order to conduct a comparative effectiveness review; and

(E) establishing a clinical registries database to assess and measure quality improvement of programs and activities relating to men's health.

(c) Report- Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office of Men's Health, shall submit to the Congress a report describing the activities of such Office, including findings by the Director regarding men's health.

Prostate Cancer and Men’s Health: Public Policy Issues

USPSTF - Core/Basic Benefits Package

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), first convened in 1984, and since 1998 sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), is an independent panel of private-sector experts in prevention and primary care Its recommendations are considered the "gold standard" for

clinical preventive services The mission of the USPSTF is to evaluate the benefits of

individual screenings/services Makes recommendations about which preventive services

should be incorporated routinely into primary medical care

USPSTF - Core/Basic Benefits Package

The key issues USPSTF serves as the foundation/ground floor for

recommendations and access to specific screenings/services However, the USPSTF does not currently recommend

prostate cancer screening Prostate Cancer screening is currently rated “I” –

current evidence is insufficient The USPSTF concludes that for men younger than age

75 years, the benefits of screening for prostate cancer are uncertain and the balance of benefits and harms cannot be determined.

Current composition of the USPSTF

Welcome to Medicare Physical

Medicare covers a one-time preventive physical exam within the first 12 months

The exam will include a thorough review of your health, education and counseling about the preventive services you need, like certain screenings and shots, and referrals for other care

Great way to get up-to-date on important screenings and shots and to talk with your doctor about your family history and how to stay healthy

Initial preventative physical examination for a man entering Medicare provides for prostate cancer screening tests as defined: A digital rectal exam A prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test

Learn more at: http://www.medicare.gov/health/physicalexam.asp

Prostate Cancer - State Mandates

A health insurance “mandate” is a requirement that an insurance company or health plan cover (or offer coverage for) common benefits/screenings

Prostate cancer screening is currently mandated in 37 states (Arkansas was the most recent to add it).

Over 35 million men, between the ages of 40 and 64, now living in the 37 states affected by this change would potentially no longer be required to provide prostate cancer screenings

Sen. Dodd & Prostate Cancer

Diagnosed on Friday, July 31st, 2009 “A blood test (PSA) during an annual physical six weeks

ago indicated the possibility that he had cancer. A subsequent biopsy confirmed the diagnosis, he said.” (NYTimes article 07/31/09)

August 11, 2009, Dr. Peter Scardino, Chairman, Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center released the following statement: “This morning, Senator Dodd had surgery to treat his early

stage prostate cancer. The surgery was successful.” Clearly shows benefit PSA screening and early detection

President Obama's remarks

August 11th, 2009 – Portsmouth, NH Town Hall We will require insurance companies to cover routine

checkups and preventative care…there’s no reason we shouldn’t be catching diseases like breast cancer and prostate cancer on the front end. That makes sense, it saves lives; it also saves money – and we need to save money in this health care system.”

August 15th, 2009 Weekly Address: “We’ll require insurance companies to cover routine checkups

and preventative care…because there’s no reason we shouldn’t be saving lives and dollars by catching diseases like breast cancer and prostate cancer on the front end.”

Democratic National Committee Resolution

Men’s Health Network worked with the DNC to pass a Resolution during September 10 – 12, 2009 meeting in Austin, TX

“BE IT RESOLVED, that the DNC urges action to promote prostate cancer screening and testing”

You can find it online at: http://www.menshealthnetwork.org/library/DNCPCa0909.pdf

MHN Op-Ed - Sept. 2009

James Morning, a prostate cancer survivor, is a retired Air Force master sergeant who was exposed to Agent Orange. He is a state coordinator for the Men's Health Network.

When you receive your PSA test results, ask the doctor what your PSA number is, write it down, and compare it against future tests. If the number goes up in future tests, talk to your doctor.

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. It’s the perfect time to call your doctor, schedule an appointment, and get your prostate cancer test done. Then, talk to your doctor and determine what screening and treatment options are best for you and your family.

Involve Women in the Debate

Women Against Prostate Cancer (WAPC) is a national organization working to unite the voices and provide support for the millions of women affected by prostate cancer

WAPC advocates prostate cancer education, screening, policy, and treatment options.

They are passionately equipping other women with knowledge, understanding, and resources when their partner is diagnosed with the disease.

With an estimated 2 million men in the U.S. currently living with prostate cancer and another 192,000 who will be diagnosed this year, there are women nationwide looking for advocacy opportunities

Check them out at: www.womenagainstprostatecancer.org

Contact Me:

Scott T. WilliamsVice President

Men's Health NetworkOffice: 202-543-6461 ext. 103scott@menshealthnetwork.org