Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) introduced the "Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Act of 2009" (S. 1213) on June 9, 2009.  The goal of S.1213 is to improve the quality of health care that Americans receive by ensuring doctors and patients have the best possible research and information on the effectiveness of different health care treatments.  The ACA recently signed on to a letter in support of this legislation. 

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 July 9, 2009

The Honorable Max Baucus                           The Honorable Kent Conrad

United States Senate                                    United States Senate

Washington, DC 20510                                  Washington, DC 20510

Re: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Act of 2009

Dear Senators Baucus and Conrad:

The following members of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) write in support of S. 1213, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Act of 2009, and to commend you for your leadership in recognizing the needs of patients and people with disabilities as you advance legislation on comparative effectiveness research (CER). We believe that the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Act of 2009 addresses meaningful protections to prevent inappropriate restrictions in coverage of and access to health care and long term services and supports for people with disabilities and chronic conditions. 

As the enclosed March 2009 statement notes, CCD supports comparative effectiveness research as an important tool in helping patients and providers distinguish between the effectiveness of treatment and service options. Having better evidence to support the clinical effectiveness of a wide range of health care interventions has the potential to lead to improvements in the quality of care and could potentially maximize the impact of the health care dollars spent in this country.

S. 1213 offers a strong foundation for advancing CER that meets the needs of people with disabilities and avoids inappropriate access restrictions on beneficial care. We urge you to include S. 1213 in any health care reform legislation considered by the Senate, and ask that you consider further changes to protect access to care by patients and people with disabilities.

Sincerely,

American Association of People with Disabilities

American Association on Health and Disability

American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

American Music Therapy Association

American Network of Community Options and Resources

Amputee Coalition of America

Association of University Centers on Disabilities

Autism Society of America

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Brain Injury Association of America

Burton Blatt Institute

CHADD, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund

Easter Seals

Epilepsy Foundation

Mental Health America

National Alliance on Mental Illness

National Association of State Head Injury Administrators

National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare

National Down Syndrome Society

National Multiple Sclerosis Society

National Spinal Cord Injury Association

Paralyzed Veterans of America

The Arc of the United States

United Cerebral Palsy

United Spinal Association