Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act
(S. 626/H.R. 1283)
46 million Americans suffer from some form of arthritis. As the most common cause of disability and the third leading cause of work limitation in the U.S., arthritis has a significant impact on our nation’s economy.
The Facts:
- Arthritis costs our country $128 billion annually; $81 billion in direct medical costs.
- 294,000 children have a form of juvenile arthritis including juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and scleroderma.
- By the year 2030, 67 million Americans or 25% of the adult population will have arthritis.
- Nearly 19 million people with arthritis are forced to stop working within 10 years of diagnosis.
- Americans with rheumatoid arthritis die 5 to 10 years earlier than persons without arthritis.
- 9,500 Americans die due to arthritis in 2003.
- 2/3 of Americans diagnosed with arthritis are under the age of 65.
To help address this ever-growing public health problem, Congress introduced the Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act (S. 626/H.R. 1283). This landmark legislation will:
- Strengthen arthritis public health initiatives, allowing more people to be diagnosed early and avoid pain and permanent disability;
- Expand the reach of evidence based self-management activities such as weight control and physical activity, which have been proven to reduce pain and reduce health care expenditures;
- Ensure that limited federal funding for arthritis is used in the most strategic manner possible through the formation of a federal interagency coordinating committee; and
- Authorize a remedy to address the country’s severe shortage of pediatric rheumatologists.
Congressional Request:
The Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act has 205 bipartisan cosponsors in the House and 46 bipartisan cosponsors in the Senate, yet 46 million Americans are still waiting for Congressional attention. The Arthritis Foundation urges the leadership of the House Energy and Commerce and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committees to act now on S. 626/H.R. 1283.
Print this Issue Brief on the Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act.
For more information about this legislation or other policy initiatives, please contact the Arthritis Foundation’s Public Policy and Advocacy Department at (202) 887-1700.
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