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Introduced
By: American
Academy of Neurology
Subject:
Stroke
Care Legislation
WHEREAS,
Senators Edward Kennedy and Bill Frist
have introduced S. 1274, the Stroke
Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act (STOP
Stroke Act) beginning a discussion in the
U.S. Congress regarding stroke care, and
WHEREAS,
stroke is the nation's number three killer
and a leading cause of long-term
disability, and
WHEREAS,
over 600,000 Americans suffer a stroke
each year, and more than 150,000 of them
die, and
WHEREAS,
stroke is expected to cost the nation
$45.4 billion in 2001, including $28
billion in direct costs and $17.4 in
indirect costs. A large share of the
direct cost is paid for by public payors
like Medicare and Medicaid, and
WHEREAS,
today, 4.5 million Americans are stroke
survivors, and as many as 30 percent of
them are permanently disabled, requiring
extensive and costly care, and
WHEREAS,
comprehensive stroke legislation has the
potential to dramatically advance the
fight against stroke by raising public
awareness, helping states fight stroke,
collecting and sharing best practices, and
educating medical professionals.
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Medical
Association support efforts like S. 1274,
the Stroke Treatment and Ongoing
Prevention Act (STOP Stroke Act) as
introduced, and work with Congress to
enact legislation that will help improve
our nation’s stroke care.
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