Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act
46 million Americans and nearly 300,000 children suffer from some form of arthritis. Congress must
act now to stem this growing health burden!
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.
- 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.
- 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 health problem, the Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act
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;
- Establish a juvenile arthritis population database to better understand the disease in children and their treatment;
- Enhance support for pediatric rheumatology training programs; and
- Establish a loan repayment program for pediatric rheumatologists to address the country’s severe shortage of these critical health professionals.
Congressional Request:
The Arthritis Foundation urges Members of Congress to cosponsor and pass the Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2009 (H.R. 1210/S. 984).
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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