House advances GOP-led Protecting Care for All Patients Act

The U.S. House of Representatives on Feb. 7 voted 211-208 to pass a GOP bill that would ban federal health programs from using prices based on Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) measures to determine relevant thresholds for federal coverage, reimbursements, or incentive programs.

The Protecting Care for All Patients Act, H.R. 485, which is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and three original cosponsors, including U.S. Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) and Michael Burgess (R-TX), advanced to the U.S. Senate on Feb. 8 and was referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.

If enacted, H.R. 485 would prohibit all federal healthcare programs, including the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and federally funded state healthcare programs like Medicaid from using prices that are based on QALYs, such as measures that discount the value of a life based on disability, age, or terminal illness, according to the text of the bill.

“Every human life has value. The government should not be mercilessly placing a dollar value on someone’s life and denying care just because they have a disability or chronic illness,” Rep. McMorris Rodgers said. “Patients, and those who are fighting for their loved ones’ lives, have pleaded with Congress to fix a system that actively prevents them from getting the care they need. I’m proud to champion this important legislation that will give patients with disabilities and chronic or rare illness hope.”

Rep. Wenstrup added that QALY measurements also interfere with a physician’s ability to care for all of their patients by devaluing treatments for those who are disabled and chronically ill.

“We should value human life — and work toward healthy human lives — not devalue human life nor indignify one another,” said Rep. Wenstrup. “I am proud the House voted to protect patients by passing this legislation… and I hope that the Senate and White House will support this important bill.”

H.R. 485 would prohibit the use of QALYs and other similar measures in all federal programs — an expansion from the current prohibition that only applies in a limited fashion to the Medicare program, says a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.

“It is imperative that our healthcare system upholds the fundamental principles of dignity and respect for every patient under our care,” Rep. Burgess said. “Assigning monetary worth to a person’s life through metrics like QALY undermines this core principle and obstructs physicians’ ability to provide quality care to all individuals, particularly those with disabilities and chronic illnesses.

“I am thankful that the House did the right thing… and passed this legislation, and I urge swift passage in the Senate,” he said.