Arthritis Bill Reintroduced
Advocates for expanding federal support for arthritis research and education are once again trying to push legislation through Congress. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) have introduced the Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act (H.R. 1210), which would expand public health activities related to arthritis, set up a juvenile arthritis population database, and establish a loan repayment program for pediatric rheumatologists. Similar legislation has been introduced in the last three congresses without success. The Arthritis Foundation and the American College of Rheumatology cheered the recent introduction of the legislation, citing the significant societal toll of arthritis. “Arthritis and rheumatic diseases will likely touch every American in some stage of their lives—either as patients or caregivers,” Dr. Sherine Gabriel, ACR president, said in a statement. “This is a serious issue and should be treated as seriously as we treat other diseases.”
Lupus Research Gets Budget Boost
Congress has dedicated about $5 million to lupus research and education as part of the recently enacted fiscal year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act. The law, which was signed in March, includes $4 million to support the National Lupus Patient Registry, about $1 million more than in FY 2008. Congress provided another $1 million for health provider education aimed at improving early diagnosis and treatment of lupus and reducing health disparities. That education program will be operated jointly by the Office of Minority Health and the Office of Women's Health in the Department of Health and Human Services, and by the U.S. Surgeon General. The Lupus Foundation of America praised the legislation, specifically the health provider education initiative. Educational programs that improve the time to diagnosis are critical, the organization said, because more than half of individuals with lupus report that they suffered symptoms of the disease for at least 4 years and visited at least three physicians before receiving a diagnosis of lupus.
Path Outlined for Biosimilars
A small bipartisan group of legislators has joined to introduce a bill that would create a pathway for the approval of follow-on biologics, or biosimilars. The Pathway for Biosimilars Act (H.R. 1548) is designed to accomplish for follow-on biologics what the Hatch-Waxman Act of 1984 did for generic drugs. Coming as the original patents on biologics are beginning to expire, the biosimilars legislation would set up a process within the Food and Drug Administration for the expedited approval of new biologics based on innovative products that are already on the market. The bill includes safeguards for patient safety and incentives for companies to continue to create innovative products. Specifically, the bill provides 12 years of exclusivity for the original biologic product. The bill was introduced in March by Rep. Eshoo, Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), and Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.), the ranking member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. “Congress needs to finally act on this issue,” Rep. Barton said in a statement. “Our bill promotes competition through biosimilars in a way that puts patient safety first and also encourages new therapies and medical advancement.” Similar legislation (H.R. 1427) was also introduced last month by Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of that committee. Under that bill, lawmakers provided 5 years of exclusivity for the original biologic product.
Physicians Postponing Retirement
Fewer physicians left group practices in 2008 than in 2007, and a majority of group practice leaders believe that this change reflects more physicians' postponement of retirement because of the poor economy, said the American Medical Group Association. The group's annual survey of AMGA members reported about a 6% turnover of group practice physicians in 2008, compared with nearly 7% in 2007. The top reasons cited for leaving a group included poor fit with one's practice and the need to relocate to be closer to family. Flexibility can keep physicians in a practice, according to respondents, nearly half of whom said that part-time options encourage physicians either to stay while meeting personal needs, or to delay retirement. Almost three-quarters of group practices offer preretirement physicians reduced hours, 56% allow for no call responsibility, and 20% allow for concentration on certain patient groups.
87 Million Uninsured in 2007–08
Nearly 87 million Americans— one in three people younger than 65 years—were uninsured at some point during 2007–2008, according to a report from the advocacy group Families USA. More than half of individuals and families with incomes between the federal poverty level and twice the poverty level ($21,200–$42,400 in annual income for a family of four in 2008) went without health insurance at some point during those 2 years, the report said. In addition, most of those who went uninsured did so for long periods: Almost two-thirds were uninsured for 9 months or more. Four of five of the uninsured were in working families, and most of these families included someone who was employed full time, the report said.