Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS)

Résumé

This notice is to advise interested parties of a one-year extension of a demonstration project in which the DoD provides CHAMPUS reimbursement for eligible beneficiaries who receive cancer treatment under approved National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute (NCI) clinical trials. Participation in these clinical trials will improve access to promising cancer therapies for CHAMPUS eligible beneficiaries when their conditions meet protocol eligibility criteria. DoD financing of these procedures will assist in meeting clinical trial goals and arrival at conclusions regarding the safety and efficacy of emerging therapies in the treatment of cancer. At this time, there is insufficient demonstration data for a full evaluation of costs associated with enrollment in clinical trials. Extending the demonstration for an additional year will allow sufficient time for patient accrual to clinical trials and collection of data which allows for comprehensive economic analysis. This demonstration also affects TRICARE, the managed health care program that includes CHAMPUS. This demonstration project, which is under the authority of 10 U.S.C., section 1092, will expire December 31, 1999.