Washington, December 21, 2019 – The Friends of PCORI Reauthorization coalition applauds the action taken yesterday evening to extend funding for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) for an additional ten years. PCORI is an independent organization authorized by the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010” to study how different medications and treatments compare, so patients and their caregivers have the information they need to choose the health care and treatment options that are best for them. The passage of H.R. 1865 shows Congress’ commitment to ensure continued support for critical research helping patients and providers make evidence-based health care decisions that work best for them.
“For more than 10 years, the Partnership to Improve Patient Care has been a strong advocate for PCORI, and I was happy to have the Honorable Phil Gingrey, MD, join me over the last year in co-chairing the Friends of PCORI Reauthorization coalition effort for its reauthorization. Our hard work paid off. I am pleased that Congress responded to the strong support of 200 plus stakeholder organizations for a long-term reauthorization of PCORI’s patient-centered mission,” said Tony Coelho, co-chair of Friends of PCORI Reauthorization and chair of the Partnership to Improve Patient Care (PIPC). “The next 10 years of PCORI is an opportunity to drive an efficient and informed health system that is truly patient-centered and responsive to the individual characteristics, needs and priorities of patients and people with disabilities. Going forward, as Chairman of the Partnership to Improve Patient Care, I believe the increased representation of payers on PCORI’s Board and the language permitting consideration of cost makes it even more important for Congress to act on the National Council on Disability’s recommendations to strengthen existing Medicare safeguards against government use of flawed cost-effectiveness standards such as quality-adjusted life years. In addition, we plan to continue to work with PCORI to amplify the voices of patients and people with disabilities in determining their research priorities and agenda to ensure balanced representation.”
PCORI is made possible by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund (PCOR Trust Fund) of which 80 percent is provided to PCORI to support its research funding and operations and 20 percent is provided to Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation to disseminate comparative-effectiveness research findings and build data capacity for PCOR, respectively. The PCOR Trust Fund receives income each year from three funding streams: appropriations from the general fund of the Treasury, transfers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid trust funds, and a fee assessed on private insurance and self-insured health plans. The reauthorization passed today includes increased mandatory appropriations to offset elimination of the transfers from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund.
“I was pleased to co-chair the bipartisan Friends of PCORI Reauthorization to ensure that the great work of PCORI continued for another decade,” said the Honorable Phil Gingrey, MD. “As a former Member of Congress and physician, I applaud the continued investment in PCORI as it is the only research organization dedicated to funding studies that compare care approaches to determine what works best, for whom, and under which circumstances. Importantly, PCORI’s work highlights the importance of shared decision making, which encourages patients to more actively participate in their care decisions, increasing the chance that they will follow through and be satisfied with the outcomes.”
“Tony and I particularly want to thank Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO), Don Beyer (D-VA), and Tom Reed (R-NY) for their leadership and steadfast support for PCORI. We are grateful that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member Ron Wyden, House Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Ranking Member Greg Walden, and House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal and Ranking Member Kevin Brady were so helpful getting this over the finish line,” said Dr. Gingrey.
PCORI is the only research funder guided by input from patients. With continued funding, PCORI will be able to continue engaging patients and their caregivers, alongside clinicians and payers, throughout the research process, from reviewing proposals to helping guide studies and disseminate findings. PCORI’s research is unique and complementary to NIH (discovery), AHRQ (health services research), and FDA (safety and efficacy).
To learn more about the changes to the PCORI statute, click here.
For more information, contact Lauren Smith Dyer at [email protected] or Shea McCarthy at [email protected].
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About Friends of PCORI Reauthorization
The Friends of PCORI Reauthorization is a coalition of patient and family caregiver organizations, health provider associations, biopharma/life science companies, payers, and other interested entities and individuals supportive of PCORI reauthorization.
The Friends of PCORI Reauthorization coalition is co-chaired by the Honorable Tony Coelho, Former U.S. Representative and Chairman, Partnership to Improve Patient Care, and the Honorable Dr. Phil Gingrey, former U.S. Representative and Senior Advisor, District Policy Group. The coalition is convened by the Alliance for Aging Research and Partnership to Improve Patient Care. Learn more at www.reauthorizepcori.org.
