November 8, 2004
 

Dear Chairman Regula and Congressman Obey:

The Friends of AHRQ thank you for your support for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). AHRQ’s research provides the evidence-based information needed to reduce medical errors, improve access to health care services, and more efficiently utilize health care resources. We are asking for your continued leadership on behalf of the Agency as you complete the FY2005 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill.

The Friends of AHRQ support at least the Senate mark of $319 million for AHRQ in FY2005. This includes $15 million for comparative effectiveness research authorized in last year’s Medicare Modernization Act. Comparative effectiveness studies are needed to improve the health care quality provided to all Americans. This research provides objective, scientifically-based information that clinicians and patients can use to determine the best treatment options for them. For example, recent comparative analysis has shown that simple diuretics work just as effectively as more expensive drugs for treating most people with hypertension. While some health plans do some research in this area, it is not sufficient to meet the needs of all private and public payers and this limited private research is usually not made available to those responsible for managing major public programs including Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP.

Again, the Friends of AHRQ thank you for your support of AHRQ.  With your continued leadership, the Agency will continue to fund and support important health services research critical to improving the health and health care of all Americans.

Sincerely,

Alpha-1 Association
Alpha-1 Foundation
Ambulatory Pediatric Association
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Association for Dental Association
American Association of Clinical Chemistry
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
American Clinical Laboratory Association
American College of Physicians
American College of Rheumatology
American Dental Education Association
American Geriatrics Society
American Heart Association
American Health Quality Association
American Medical Association
American Osteopathic Association
American Pediatric Society
American Physical Therapy Association
American Psychological Association
American Public Health Association
Association of Academic Health Centers
Association of American Medical Colleges
Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs
Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America
Coalition for American Trauma Care
Coalition for Health Funding
Coalition for Health Services Research
Consortium of Social Science Associations
General Motors Corporation
Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy
Medical Group Management Association
National Business Group on Health
National Health Council
National Partnership for Women & Families
National Psoriasis Foundation
Research!America
RTI International
Society for Pediatric Research
Society of General Internal Medicine
Society of Thoracic Surgeons