The Cancer Support Community supports H.R. 485, the Protecting Healthcare for All Patients Act, to prohibit the use of “quality-adjusted life years” (QALYs) and similar measures in determining coverage and cost under Federal health care programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. The use of QALYs, which measure the value of a treatment based on the resulting increase of patients’ length and quality of life, discriminates against, and devalues medical intervention for seniors and people with chronic illnesses or disabilities. This bill would protect the lives and treatment of such vulnerable populations and disallow limits on access to necessary care services and treatments, increasing health equity.
This bill is a major step towards equitable healthcare by barring discriminatory methods of determining “cost-effective” treatments for seniors, disabled patients, those with chronic illnesses, and more. There must be policy solutions to ensure that Federal healthcare programs do not dehumanize and devalue the lives of such populations and instead provide sufficient and equal access to care and treatment that all patients deserve.
