Clinton Cites Medicare Boost for Cancer Tests

President Clinton, with holiday reflections on the loss of his mother to breast cancer, highlighted Medicare reforms that take effect New Year’s Day to make cancer screenings less expensive for 39 million older Americans.

“Nearly every American family has been touched by the shadow of cancer,” Clinton said Saturday in his weekly radio address. “By detecting cancer early on, we offer our loved ones one of the greatest gifts of all--the gifts of life, health and many holidays to come.”

Under the balanced-budget agreement negotiated with Congress this year, the nation’s 39 million Medicare beneficiaries will be guaranteed regular tests for breast, cervical and colon-rectal cancer. Studies show that early detection of these cancers can boost survival rates to as high as 90% to 100%.

“We’re ringing in the new year resolved to take new steps in our battle against cancer, one of mankind’s oldest foes,” Clinton said.

In the broadcast, Clinton mourned the absence of his late mother, Virginia Kelley, whom he telephoned every Sunday evening before she died of breast cancer four years ago Jan. 6.

“Especially at this time of year, I miss her a lot,” Clinton said Saturday.

He outlined these new Medicare benefits:

* No deductible for annual breast X-rays, and the guaranteed option of annual mammograms for all Medicare-eligible women age 40 and older. Previously, Medicare covered only biennial mammograms for some age groups and none for others.

* Coverage to pay for Pap smears and pelvic exams every three years, or annually for women who are at high risk for cervical cancer. Clinton said survival rates for cervical cancer are almost 100% when it’s found and treated in the earliest stages.

* For the first time, coverage for regular colon-rectal cancer screenings. Before the new law, Medicare paid for the tests only when patients showed symptoms indicative of cancer in the colon or rectum. Diagnosed early, the cancer can be treated with a 90% survival rate, but the rate drops to 7% when the cancer is missed until its advanced stage, Clinton said.

As for the long-term viability of the Medicare program, Clinton spoke Saturday of a yet-to-be-seated commission appointed to recommend ways “to ensure that Medicare will serve baby boomers and our children as well as it has served our parents.”

Under the statute that created the commission, the panel was to have been in place by Dec. 1. Clinton and congressional Republicans remain stalemated over naming a chairman.

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In the Republican counterpart to Clinton’s address, Sen. Alfonse M. D’Amato of New York said teachers should be evaluated every five years to see if they deserve to keep their jobs and proposed new powers for principals to remove violent students.

D’Amato, at odds with powerful teachers unions in his home state, also recommended Saturday an end to the practice of granting tenure, lifetime job protection for teachers.

“Those teachers who have succeeded in the classroom would be retained, and some even given merit raises,” D’Amato said. “Those who have failed our children would be replaced by teachers who will do better.”

The senator also said teachers should be tested to ensure they are competent in their subjects.

D’Amato’s proposed changes would allow principals to quickly remove disruptive and violent students from classrooms.

“We must insist that the classroom become an oasis of learning, instead of a place where our children can be subjected to violence and drugs,” he said.