C-TAC Commends the Introduction of Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Advanced Illness Care for Millions of Americans

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Phil Roe (R-TN) introduced the Personalize Your Care Act 2.0 – bipartisan legislation that will significantly improve care for millions of Americans facing serious illness.  This important legislation creates a management and care model demonstration program for individuals with advanced illness, increases the portability of advance directives, and calls for the development of quality measures relating to advanced illness and end-of-life care.

"The introduction of the bipartisan Personalize Your Care Act 2.0 is a critically important and significant step forward to improve the lives of millions of Americans who face advanced illness," said Bill Novelli, Co-Chair of C-TAC's Board of Directors. "This bipartisan, person-centered legislation represents a significant step forward. Representatives Blumenauer and Roe have long been champions of improving access to care for this population and we look forward to working with them toward the passage of this landmark legislation."

"Medicare providers are now being reimbursed for having thoughtful and thorough conversations with patients and their families about end-of-life choices. Our legislation builds on what we've accomplished to further ensure patients' wishes for care are understood, respected, and enforced," said Blumenauer. "We appreciate the support of C-TAC, which has played a critical role in creating a substantive and diverse dialogue on these issues, and look forward to working with our colleagues in Congress to advance this important, patient-centered legislation."

The Personalize Your Care Act 2.0 creates an advanced illness management and choices care model demonstration program, which tests the use of advanced illness management and early use of palliative care for eligible Medicare beneficiaries.  The legislation also highlights the importance of advance care planning through the authorization of grants for programs for life-sustaining treatment and by calling for improved standards for advance care planning for electronic health records.   Additionally, the bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish quality measures for end-of-life care, including measures that ensure that treatment received is aligned with the goals, preferences, and values of individuals. 

C-TAC applauds Representatives Blumenauer and Roe on the introduction of the Personalize Your Care Act 2.0 and looks forward to continuing its work with policymakers and stakeholders alike in order to ensure that all individuals with advanced illness receive high-quality, comprehensive, and person-centered care that values their goals and honors their wishes.

About C-TAC
The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) is a national non-profit, non-partisan alliance of patient and consumer advocacy groups, health care professional and providers, private sector stakeholders, faith-based organizations, and health care payers committed to the vision that all Americans with advanced illness, especially the sickest and most vulnerable, will receive comprehensive, high quality, person-and-family-centered care that is consistent with their goals and values and honors their dignity. For more information about C-TAC, visit TheCTAC.org

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SOURCE Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC)