U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) introduced legislation on Wednesday that would discontinue the government’s use of comparative effectiveness research (CER) when determining approval of federal health care coverage, such as Medicare or Medicaid.
Using data acquired through CER, the federal government can deny, delay or limit health care options for individuals, a practice that Roberts and other lawmakers have strongly opposed.
The Preserving Access to Targeted, Individualized, and Effective New Treatments and Services (PATIENTS) Act of 2015 would prevent the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) from using any information acquired through CER to deny or delay any coverage of service under federal health care. It would also force the HHS office to show that any CER conducted under the federal government accounts for additional nuance factors that vary from patient to patient, rather than blanket categorization.
“Health care is not one-size-fits-all,” Roberts said. “Comparative effectiveness research is a tool the government can use to limit a patient’s options for treatment and effectively ration care. My bill closes the door on this irresponsible option. The government should never interfere with decisions made between a patient and their doctor.”
The bill is co-sponsored by fellow Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY) and Rob Portman (R-OH), both outspoken opponents of CER.
“We have seen how comparative effectiveness research works in Canada and the United Kingdom, and it is the patient that ends up paying the price for increased government intervention in the doctor-patient relationship,” Roberts concluded. “Americans do not want the federal government limiting their treatment options and deciding what is best for them. They want to be informed and work with their doctor to determine the best individualized plan of care for them.”