$6.3 Billion 21st Century Cures Act Passes

After easily passing the US House of Representatives and a subsequent vote to end debate on the proposal in the US Senate, the 21st Century Cures Act seemed poised to pass the Senate at press time and move forward to President Obama to sign into law. The Obama administration backs the measure.

Vice President Joe Biden made a rare visit to the Senate floor December 5 to oversee the procedural Senate vote on the $6.3 billion medical cures bill. The sweeping measure aims to speed up the US Food and Drug Administration’s drug approval process and includes funds for medical research, including $1.8 billion toward Biden’s “Cancer Moonshot” initiative. Biden’s son Beau died of cancer in May 2015.

“Today the Senate would like to specifically acknowledge [Biden’s] efforts to help Americans struggling with cancer,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said. “He’s known the cruel toll that this disease can take, but he hasn’t let it defeat him. He’s chosen to fight back.”

The medical cures bill, which also includes funding to fight opioid addiction and expand access to mental health care, has drawn bipartisan support. Some Senate Democrats, including Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, however, have criticized the bill for catering to the pharmaceutical industry without addressing rising drug prices.

“I think it’s too weak in some parts,” said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. “I think we could have done better. But I’ve been around a long time and I understand what legislation is all about.”

The medical cures act passed the House of Representatives 392-26 November 30. From there, it moved to the Senate, which December 5 voted to 85-13 to end debate on the measure. A Senate vote was expected within the week.

If passed, the 21st Century Cures Act would be the most significant health care legislation since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Healthcare IT News observed. —Jolynn Tumolo