{"id":2172053,"date":"2024-02-09T08:16:02","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T13:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-votes-to-nuke-federal-health-metrics-that-deem-people-with-disabilities-less-valuable-than-people-without\/"},"modified":"2024-02-09T08:18:45","modified_gmt":"2024-02-09T13:18:45","slug":"house-votes-to-nuke-federal-health-metrics-that-deem-people-with-disabilities-less-valuable-than-people-without","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-votes-to-nuke-federal-health-metrics-that-deem-people-with-disabilities-less-valuable-than-people-without\/","title":{"rendered":"House votes to eliminate federal health metrics that devalue people with disabilities"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhouse-votes-to-nuke-federal-health-metrics-that-deem-people-with-disabilities-less-valuable-than-people-without%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2172053&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>The House of Representatives Votes to Protect Individuals \u200bwith Disabilities<\/h2>\n<p>The House\u2064 of Representatives made a significant decision on Wednesday, sending a powerful message to our nation&#8217;s\u2062 most vulnerable citizens.\u2064 They considered a crucial bill that would put an end to the federal government&#8217;s use of a\u200d discriminatory metric that \u2063devalues individuals with disabilities.<\/p>\n<p>As a mother of a daughter with special needs, \u200cI am immensely grateful that the House passed this vital legislation. Now, I eagerly\u2063 await the\u200b Senate&#8217;s action, hoping they will follow suit without delay.<\/p>\n<p>The bill in question is H.R. 485, known as the Protecting Health \u2062Care \u200bfor All Patients Act. This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/BILLS-118hr485rh\/pdf\/BILLS-118hr485rh.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">legislation<\/a> aims to prohibit all <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-more-hsas-could-help-dig-us-out-of-the-hole-of-disastrous-medicaid-expansion\/\" title=\"How More HSAs Could Help Dig Us Out Of The Hole Of Disastrous Medicaid Expansion\">federal health programs<\/a> from\u200d using the Quality \u200cAdjusted Life Year (QALY) metric, or any similar measure, \u200cto determine the cost or coverage of health care \u200dtreatments.<\/p>\n<p>The QALY cost-effectiveness metric unfairly \u200cvalues an additional \u200dyear of life for a person with disabilities as less valuable than an additional year for someone in &#8220;normal&#8221; health. This discriminatory practice harms some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The National\u2063 Council on Disability, on which I \u200bhave served, \u200bpublished a report <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncd.gov\/assets\/uploads\/docs\/ncd-quality-adjusted-life-report-508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">indicating<\/a> that &#8220;QALY-based programs\u2062 have \u2064been\u200c found to violate the Americans\u200b with Disabilities Act.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Shockingly, many countries, including Britain&#8217;s National Health Service (NHS), utilize the QALY metric to determine the cost-effectiveness of treatments. Consequently, the NHS often <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2019\/oct\/24\/nhs-england-vertex-agrees-price-for-orkambi-unaffordable-cystic-fibrosis-drug\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">refuses to cover<\/a> effective therapies, deeming them too &#8220;costly&#8221; for\u2062 the government. This form of rationing, based on\u2062 cost rather than patient need, disproportionately affects individuals with disabilities, as the QALY metric devalues\u200b their continued survival.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, this\u2063 neglect of those with the greatest needs is not limited to other countries. Several U.S. states and the \u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/icer-review.org\/announcements\/va-release\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Veterans Administration<\/a> have started using cost-effectiveness research published by the \u2064Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, some of which resembles the QALY\u200b metric. Even the National Institutes of Health, by <a href=\"https:\/\/grants.nih.gov\/grants\/guide\/notice-files\/NOT-OD-23-163.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">proposing the removal<\/a> of the words &#8220;lengthen life&#8221; from its goals, have sent a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/elon-musk-others-blast-dove-for-hiring-blm-activist-who-wrecked-white-student-with-uncorroborated-accusations\/\" title=\"Elon Musk, along with others, criticizes Dove for hiring BLM activist accused of baseless accusations against a white student.\">potentially harmful message<\/a> to individuals with disabilities, as \u2062highlighted in\u200b a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rubio.senate.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/01.24.24-Rubio-Duckworth-Letter-to-NIH-re-Proposed-Change-in-Mission-Statement.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bipartisan letter<\/a> from senators.<\/p>\n<p>By passing H.R. 485, Congress would take a significant step towards correcting this message and protecting the most vulnerable members of our society. This\u2062 legislation would build upon prior measures that \u200brestricted the use of the QALY metric.<\/p>\n<p>In 2010, Congress \u2063and President\u200c Obama <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section1320e-1&#038;num=0&#038;edition=prelim\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prohibited<\/a> the secretary of health and human services from using QALYs &#8220;to determine coverage, reimbursement, or incentive programs under&#8221; Medicare.\u200b H.R. 485\u200b would extend these\u200b crucial protections to programs \u200dlike Medicaid, the State Children&#8217;s Health Insurance \u200bProgram, and coverage for federal workers.<\/p>\n<p>At a time when some states and even countries\u200c like Canada advocate for expansions of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/assisted-suicide-group-teams-up-with-planned-parenthood-honcho\/\" title=\"Assisted Suicide Group Teams Up With Planned Parenthood Honcho\">physician-assisted suicide<\/a>, it\u200d is\u2062 imperative that our country takes special \u2063efforts to stand up for the value of all human life, \u200bregardless of their perceived health or usefulness. <\/p>\n<p>I commend Rep. Cathy\u2062 McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., who, like me, is the mother of a special needs child, for introducing this important legislation. Now, I urge Congress to swiftly send it to the White House, and \u2064I hope President Biden will sign it into law.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>Mary Vought (@MaryVought) is the Founder of Vought Strategies and President of Women for America.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How\u200c does the passage of H.R. 485 align with the principles of the Americans with Disabilities Act \u2064(ADA) and ensure equal access to \u2064healthcare for individuals with disabilities<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Metric. This puts individuals with disabilities at risk of\u200d being denied access\u200c to necessary treatments and \u2063care\u200c based\u2064 on a \u2063discriminatory measurement.<\/p>\n<p>The passage of H.R. 485 by the \u2063House of Representatives is a significant step towards rectifying this injustice. The bill,\u200c championed by Representative Rob\u200c Woodall,\u2063 aims to protect \u200bindividuals with\u200d disabilities \u200cby ensuring that federal health programs do not use \u2064metrics \u2064like QALY to determine \u2062the cost or coverage of health care\u200c treatments.<\/p>\n<p>By eliminating the use of the QALY \u2063metric, \u200cthis legislation will ensure that \u2063individuals with \u200cdisabilities are not deemed less valuable \u200dor\u200d deserving \u200cof <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fla-treats-more-than-10k-patients-with-monoclonal-antibody-treatment\/\" title=\"Fla. treats more than 10k patients with monoclonal antibody treatment\">life-saving treatments<\/a>. It affirms the principle that every life is equally valuable, \u2064regardless of ability or \u200dhealth status. It is a clear message\u2064 that\u200c discrimination \u200dagainst \u2062individuals with disabilities \u2064will\u200d not be tolerated\u200d in our healthcare system.<\/p>\n<p>The passage of this bill also aligns with the values enshrined in the Americans\u200c with Disabilities Act \u200b(ADA). The\u200d ADA mandates equal treatment and protection for\u2062 individuals with disabilities, including in the provision of \u200bhealthcare services. By prohibiting the use of \u2062discriminatory metrics in \u2062<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/illegal-border-crossings-approach-all-time-record-levels\/\" title=\"Illegal border crossings reach record levels.\">healthcare decision-making<\/a>, H.R.\u2062 485 \u200breinforces\u2062 the \u200dprinciples of the ADA and ensures that\u2064 individuals with disabilities are not denied access to \u2062necessary care.<\/p>\n<p>The\u200d Senate now has the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to protecting individuals with disabilities by\u2064 passing H.R. 485. It is imperative that they act swiftly and decisively to\u2064 ensure that\u200c this vital legislation becomes\u200d law. Individuals with disabilities have\u200b long been marginalized and underserved in \u200bour society, and it is time for our lawmakers to stand up for their rights and well-being.<\/p>\n<p>As a mother of\u2063 a \u2063daughter\u200c with special\u2064 needs, I implore \u2062the Senate to prioritize the passage of this legislation.\u200b Our \u2064nation&#8217;s \u200bmost vulnerable citizens should not be subject to discriminatory practices that devalue their lives. It is our duty as a society to ensure that every individual, regardless of ability,\u200b has equal access to healthcare \u200band \u2064is treated with\u2064 dignity and respect.<\/p>\n<p>In\u200b conclusion, the House of Representatives\u200d has taken\u200c a significant step towards protecting individuals with disabilities by passing H.R. 485.\u2062 This legislation, which aims to \u200celiminate the use of discriminatory \u2063metrics in healthcare decision-making, sends a powerful message that every life is equally valuable. It\u200d is now \u2062up to the Senate to \u2064follow suit and ensure that individuals with disabilities are protected and\u200b afforded the same opportunities\u200b for health and well-being as their able-bodied counterparts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The House voted on a bill to send a message to vulnerable citizens. The legislation aims to stop the federal government from using a discriminatory metric that devalues people with disabilities. As a mother of a special needs child, I&#8217;m thankful for the House&#8217;s approval of this crucial measure<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":564,"featured_media":2172054,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/pexels-artem-podrez-4492064-scaled.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2172053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/pexels-artem-podrez-4492064-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2172053","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/564"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2172053"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2172053\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2172054"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2172053"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2172053"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2172053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}