Washington DC – Eastern Washington State Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers (WA-05) today announced the introduction of HR 485, the Protect Healthcare for All Patients Act. It expands access to life-saving care and prevents discrimination against Americans with disabilities. The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health announced at a congressional hearing on February 1, 2023, “A Life Worth Living: Addressing the Fentanyl Crisis, Protecting Critical Utilities, and Discriminating against People with Disabilities.” I will consider this bill under the title “Fighting against.”
“Every life is worth living. It is unconscionable for health care officials to coldly judge someone’s life to be of little value. worthy of said Rogers“The ‘quality-adjusted life-years’ measure will be used to discriminate against people with chronic diseases and disorders such as cystic fibrosis, ALS, and Down’s syndrome, putting them at the forefront of treatment.” Getting it passed is a priority for our committee.
Rogers is the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Jason Smith (R-Missouri), as well as Rep. Brad Wenstrup (DPM (R-Ohio)) and Rep. Michael Burgess, co-chairs of the Republican Medical Association. (MD (R-TX).
Background:
HR 485 prohibits the use of quality-adjusted life years (QALY) in all federal programs. This is an extension of current prohibitions that apply only in a limited way to the Medicare program.
This controversial metric intentionally devalues treatment for people with disabilities and chronic conditions, with the goal of determining whether it’s cost-effective enough to be paid for by the federal government. . Using QALY is clearly discriminatory. The bill also prohibits the importation of price controls from countries that use QALY, a socialist trademark for government-run health insurance programs.
What they say:
“It is hard to believe that it is 2023 and that chronically ill patients are fighting to be treated like humans. Stopping use can change the lives of Americans with chronic diseases.” Terry Wilcox, CEO of Patient Rising, said:“Chairman Rogers wasted no time in defending the rights of patients who are overwhelmingly subject to this calculation in determining access to care. We know there is, and we want to join that fight.”
“The use of quality-adjusted life years is a long-standing concern in the disability community, particularly in health care. The law, which prohibits use in federal health care programs, is now in its first hearings of Congress’ Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. I am delighted to be included.” Laura Widener, Vice President of Government Relations and Advocacy at the Epilepsy Foundation, said:.
“Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) devalue the lives of older adults, people with disabilities and chronic conditions, and communities of color. We have repeatedly warned against doing so because it would undermine key U.S. disability and civil rights laws, including the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.” MHS’ Sue Peschin, Chairman and CEO of the Alliance for Aging Research, said:“Despite the apparent negative impact on health equity, payers, including private insurers, the Veterans Administration, and state Medicaid agencies, have been using the Institute for Clinical Economics Review (ICER) QALY-based cost-effectiveness analysis With increasing use of FDA-approved therapies to ration access to patients, it’s time to end these harmful practices. Kudos to Energy & Commerce Chairman Kathy McMorris Rogers, Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, and Doc Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Brad Wenstrup and Rep. Michael Burgess for their leadership in implementing the Protection Act, and to Congress. I urge you to pass this important law.”
“People’s right to life is upheld by Speakers Kathy McMorris-Rogers and Jason Smith, and Rep. Michael Burgess and Brad Wen for introducing the Protect Healthcare for All Patients Act.” Kudos to the strap. This law prevents the use of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) or similar measures in health insurance. QALYs are an inherently discriminatory system of rations used to assess an individual’s expected longevity and whether treatment is “cost-effective”. QALY applies a score to a person’s health status and penalizes people with disabilities. QALY is used by some health care plans and payers to determine whether patients deemed to have a “poor quality of life” should have health insurance. The nation’s right to life strongly supports this life-affirming and dignifying law. ” Jennifer Popik, director of federal legislation for the National Life Rights Commission, said:.
“As a mother of a child with a disability, I am deeply troubled by the federal government’s use of QALY. It is an inhuman methodology that discriminates against the elderly and the sickest among us. We have seen how a life-saving drug that could help fight cystic fibrosis was rejected in other countries because it was deemed “too costly” by government bureaucrats. It’s something you can’t do, and you’ll be on the road to socialized medicine. Thankfully, this law provides access to the care Americans deserve and helps send an important moral statement that our country cares for our most vulnerable people. . Mary Vought, Fellow of Independent Women’s Voice and former member of the National Council on Disability Council, said:.
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