Encourage Congressional Support for MS Priorities

Over the past two weeks, Members of the House of Representatives have circulated ‘Dear Colleague’ letters, urging members to formally signal support for certain funding priorities. During this time, three letters have been generated in support of funding for MS issues: the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the MS program in the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) and the Lifespan Respite Care program. This week, the CDMRP letter was sent to the House Appropriations Committee with 52 co-signers supporting $10 million for fiscal year (FY) 2014. The other two letters will remain open until next week, as additional signatures are collected. Please take a minute to ensure the greatest support for NIH and the Lifespan Respite Care Program by contacting your Member today and urge him/her to co-sign these letters! National MS Society Sponsors Rally for Medical Research On April 8, the Society joined thousands of advocates in Washington, D.C., to call on Congress to increase funding for medical research, which was cut in early March due to sequestration. Nearly 200 organizations and a handful of lawmakers, including MS Caucus co-chair Rep. Chris Van Holler (MD-8), participated in the event, reflecting the importance of research on health and the economy. The sequester, or across the board cuts, reduced the budget for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by roughly $1.5 billion this year. In addition, the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) within the Department of Defense also faces cuts, with the exact amount to be determined in the upcoming weeks. The Society and others have warned that reductions and uncertainty in research funding will postpone medical breakthroughs and set research back considerably. This message was echoed on Monday, as MS Activists and others sent several thousand emails and text messages to Congress asking them to make research funding a priority. President Releases Budget Plan; Includes Compromises On April 10, President Obama released his proposed budget for fiscal year (FY) 2014. Generally, the President proposes to cancel sequestration and replace it with an additional $1.8 trillion in deficit reduction through new revenue, $400 billion in "health savings," Social Security changes, and $200 billion in discretionary cuts split evenly between defense and nondefense programs. The president’s budget is unlikely to pass Congress or be enacted exactly as proposed, but the document underscores the White House’s priorities. While many programs face potential downsizing, the White House budget proposes a 5 percent increase in funding for the Department of Health and Human Services. The President is requesting $80.1 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Health and Human Services, up $3.1 billion (5.1 percent) from the $76.2 billion enacted for fiscal 2012. The president's 2014 proposed budget does not reflect recent appropriations or sequestration spending figures (for 2013). Specifically, the Food and Drug administration is slated to receive an increase, with a proposed budget of $4.7 billion, an $821 million increase (or 21 percent) over its 2012 budget. Much of that increase would come from new “user fees” (or charges to the medical device and drug industries the FDA regulates). Additionally, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget would increase slightly to $31.2 billion from the $30.7 billion enacted in fiscal year 2012. Conversely, the budget also proposes some reductions in health spending. The budget spells out plans to generate $389 billion through Medicare cuts and other HHS-related savings over a 10-year period. Long-term Care Commission Established As part of the deal that averted the fiscal cliff last December, Congress repealed the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Program. Planned as a voluntary long-term insurance program, CLASS would have provided a cash benefit to people who become functionally or cognitively impaired and could have helped them maintain their independence and lives in their communities. CLASS was originally enacted as part of health care reform, but was ultimately determined to be financially unsustainable. When it repealed CLASS, Congress established a bipartisan Long-term Care Commission that is tasked with developing policy proposals that could provide more flexible, affordable long-term services and support options. All appointees have now been named to the Commission, which will have six months in which to complete its important work once some administrative details are finalized.