Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

I am introducing 'The Medicare Patient Access to Technology Act' to make targeted adjustments in the technical methods and systems that Medicare uses to adopt and pay for new medical products.

I am pleased that HCFA is attempting to address the problems associated with its process for making national coverage decisions for new technologies.

This bill will correct a number of complex but significant problems that currently plague HCFA's coverage, coding and payment systems.

Most importantly, it will help ensure that Medicare beneficiaries have timely access to life-enhancing and life-saving medical advances.

Frankly, in order to do all this analysis of the program, we need more time to evaluate the extensive data that has been collected.

Mr. Speaker, it is important to recognize that the extension of this demonstration will not increase Medicare expenditures for care.

I rise to re-introduce legislation similar to that which I sponsored in the 104th and 105th Congresses to extend the demonstration authority under the Medicare program for Community Nursing Organization (CNO) projects.

By demonstrating what a primary care oriented nursing practice can accomplish with enrollees who are elderly or disabled, CNOs are helping show us how to increase benefits, save scarce dollars and improve the quality of life for patients.

I urge my colleagues to consider this bill carefully and join me in seeking to extend these cost-savings and health care-enhancing CNO demonstrations for another three years.