Men's Health Policy Center Hosts Petition to Protest Government Barrier to Prostate Cancer M...( WASHINGTON March 27 -- The Men's...),Health

WASHINGTON, March 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Men's Health Policy Center, a new resource center affiliated with the Men's Health Network (MHN), announced today that they are hosting an online petition urging Congress to end a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) practice that unfairly restricts prostate cancer patients' access to drug therapies.

"This petition allows people who are impacted by prostate cancer to raise their united voices and let their Congressional leaders know that they are opposed to this policy," said Theresa Morrow, Director of Marketing and External Relations for MHN. "In order to ensure the best quality of life, prostate cancer patients should be treated according to the most effective treatment for them as determined by their physician and not according to what is cheapest."

The policy, known as "least costly alternative" (LCA), allows CMS to deny the additional payment for certain cancer therapies based solely on cost with no consideration for the clinical recommendations given by a patient's own physician. Groups such as the National Prostate Cancer Coalition, the Prostate Health Education Network, and Us TOO have also urged Congress and the Administration to drop the LCA policy for prostate cancer therapies.

"As a prostate cancer survivor, I struggle daily with the emotional and financial ramifications of my illness, and the last thing I need to worry about is how to pay for the care that's best for me. I believe all men should have access to the full range of treatments available without the federal government coming in between my doctor and me," said William Palos, a survivor from Illinois. "With nearly 200,000 men diagnosed with this disease each year, I don't think we should be singled out and forced to settle for substandard care."

Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among men and is the second leading cause of cancer death among men. This cancer disproportionate
'/>"/>