Replies

I have AARP’s reaction for you, right here. I wrote to them, asking how they planned to spin it. This is what I got back:

Dear Ms. [name deleted]:

Thank you for contacting AARP to voice concern about comments from the news media criticizing the comparative effectiveness research provision in the economic recovery package being debated in Congress.

Opponents of health care reform have begun using scare tactics and misleading the public to keep us from fixing our broken health care system. It is my pleasure to clarify what the provision entails.

The economic recovery package being considered by Congress contains a provision which will provide $1.1 billion for comparative effectiveness research. Comparative effectiveness research is a wonky term that means the ability to compare different kinds of treatments to find out which one works best for which patient. It is
patently false to say this provision will lead to the rationing of care.

Both houses of Congress included funding for this important research in their economic recovery plans because lawmakers understand the need to improve the quality and performance of our health system. AARP would strongly oppose any attempts to limit doctors and hospitals from providing the best possible care to their patients-the provisions in these bills don’t make any such attempt. In fact, this
research would do the opposite-giving doctors the best information available to make health care decisions with their patients.

This research is designed to also empower patients-giving them more and better information so they can make better decisions with their doctors. This is a common sense idea that is, unfortunately, not happening now. Some estimates say that only about half of all therapies that patients receive have been backed up by head-to-head comparisons with alternatives. While our country spends more than $2
trillion a year on health care, we spend less than 0.1 percent on evaluating how that care works compared to other options.

I hope this information sheds light on this issue, which has been misrepresented by some in the media. Again, thank you for providing us the opportunity to share with you the facts regarding this provision. If there is anything we can discuss with you in the future, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Jaimie
Member Communications
Member@aarp.org

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