On March 27, the House approved, by voice vote, the Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act (H.R. 477). The bill, sponsored by Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), would authorize $5 million for FY2008-2012 for the secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out an education campaign about the warning signs of, and treatment options for, stroke. An additional $4 million per year for FY2008-2012 would be authorized for medical professional development programs for stroke and traumatic injury treatment and prevention. The measure also would authorize $10 million for FY2008, $13 million for FY2009, $15 million for FY2010, $8 million for FY2011, and $4 million for FY2012, for grants to states and private organizations to conduct a five-year pilot project to improve stroke patient outcomes by coordinating health care delivery through telehealth networks. The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the measure on March 15 (see The Source, 3/16/07).
“It has been mentioned that stroke is the nation’s number three killer, a leading cause of long-term disability, and it’s also known but not widely understood that stroke affects all age groups, not just the very elderly,” said Rep. Capps. She continued, “It cuts through every socioeconomic and ethnic group. It really is a very significant destroyer of lives and homes and families, as it has such devastating results as it affects people…The staggering numbers of death and long-term disability due to stroke means that it is now time that we pass into law a comprehensive plan for preventing, for diagnosing, and for treating stroke…The bill’s first initiative would create a national awareness campaign that would educate both patients and providers. Not enough people know the symptoms of stroke when it impacts them. We must standardize prevention and early treatment in order to achieve real results in our fight against stroke. In order to further improve education about stroke prevention, diagnosis and treatment, this bill will authorize grants for qualified health professional programs so that providers are equipped with the most up-to-date information and technologies.” Rep. Capps concluded her remarks: “Only when we tackle this disease from all angles, from prevention, from treatment, from coordination of care, can we really make progress. So I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 477. And I look forward to seeing it finally signed into law.”
Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) said, “My own father suffered a stroke, May 23 of 1989. He, unfortunately, died 2 years ago this week. He spent the last 16 years of his life living with a disability as a result of that stroke. The day that it happened, he lost the ability to speak and never regained it prior to his death. Stroke treatment is so important and it has evolved over time. It wasn’t too many years ago where it was just simply a question of being certain about the diagnosis, making certain the stroke patient was stable, and then making arrangements for their rehabilitation. But so much more can be done now…So the diagnosis of the type of stroke at the time of the stroke becomes critical, and that is where the funding placed for the education and the medical research becomes so important. Further, it is my feeling that, as time goes forward, we will indeed improve the ability to help individuals who have been afflicted by a stroke.” Rep. Burgess outlined the Mayo Clinic’s recommendations for avoiding stroke, including not smoking, monitoring hypertension, limiting dietary fat and sodium, reducing stress, and exercising regularly. “These are very commonsense recommendations. They have been developed by, again, our good friends at Mayo Clinic. And I urge all Americans to consider incorporating those into their lifestyle. This is important legislation. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation,” he said.
