The current continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government expires on Thursday. Congress is now working to pass another CR through December 20. We expect that the PCOR Trust Fund will also be extended through December 20 but without new funding for FY2020.
At the same time, the Senate Finance and Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the House Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce Committees are negotiating a health extenders package that is likely to be included in any final FY2020 funding package, which could wrap up in late December. In the negotiations, Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA) seeks to discontinue funding from the Medicare Part A and Part B Trust Funds for the PCOR Trust Fund. This is approximately one-quarter of PCORI’s funding.
We need you to take action as soon as possible, and no later than December 20. How? Send emails to Republican Senators in support of PCORI.
We need organizations and their members as well as patient advocates to reach out to Republican Senate offices, and most particularly members of the Senate Finance Committee, to urge their support for a long-term reauthorization of PCORI with the continuation of its current funding streams. A sample email is below.
Republican members of the Senate Finance Committee and their staff contacts are the following:
| Chuck Grassley (R-IA) | Stuart Portman | [email protected] |
| Mike Crapo (R-ID) | Kellie McConnell | [email protected] |
| Pat Roberts (R-KS) | Bryan Wells | [email protected] |
| Mike Enzi (R-WY) | Amanda Lincoln | [email protected] |
| John Cornyn (R-TX) | Jeffrey Last | [email protected] |
| John Thune (R-SD) | Derek Chancellor | [email protected] |
| Richard Burr (R-NC) | Rachel Soclof | [email protected] |
| Johnny Isakson (R-GA) | William Dent | [email protected] |
| Rob Portman (R-OH) | Seth Gold | [email protected] |
| Patrick Toomey (R-PA) | Corey Ensslin | [email protected] |
| Tim Scott (R-SC) | Alaura Ervin | [email protected] |
| James Lankford (R-OK) | Kevin Kincheloe | [email protected] |
| Steve Daines (R-MT) | Rachel Green | [email protected] |
| Todd Young (R-IA) | Jaymi Light | [email protected] |
Draft Email for Republican Senators:
Health Care Staffer name
My name is X, a constituent in X / title and organization. I am writing to urge you and your boss to support reauthorization of the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) by weighing in with Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in support of a long-term reauthorization of PCORI that maintains its three funding sources.
As of June 2019, PCORI has awarded more than $2.4 billion in grants and contracts to more than 700 research-related projects in 44 states across the U.S. Among PCORI’s signature achievements in its first 10 years has been the creation of a new paradigm for conducting research that better integrates patient perspectives. PCORI research provides a wealth of valuable data for patients and health care providers, while also informing how the health care system can be more efficient.
[Insert your own experience with PCORI and/or its research results]
Please find attached a letter from the Friends of PCORI Reauthorization with over 250 organizations and individuals that was sent to the Senate Finance Committee urging action to finalize a long-term reauthorization of PCORI, maintain its current funding sources, and continue its mandate to conduct comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER).
Thank you for your attention to this important matter,
Your Name
