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Dear Senators Alexander, Murray, Collins and Shaheen,
Thank you for consideration of the National Clinical Care Commission Act by the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on April 26, 2017. Our organizations, representing physicians, allied health professionals, patients, community health organizations and industry, strongly support this legislation and urge its passage by unanimous consent in the Senate as soon as possible so it can be enacted this year.
We firmly believe enactment of the National Clinical Care Commission Act will help the nation undertake more proactive and innovative approaches to diabetes and its disease complications, which represent the most significant insulin- related metabolic or autoimmune diseases we face as a nation. The United States spends $322 billion annually controlling the high blood glucose levels that characterize diabetes and the cardiac, nerve, kidney, eye and newly recognized cancer-related complications of these diseases. Given this annual level of spending, the nation cannot afford to be complacent and accept inefficiencies and inconsistent policies as part of the federal response.
By establishing a private-public Commission to make recommendations to improve the coordination and implementation of federal clinical care activities, the National Clinical Care Commission Act will change the status quo from agencies working in silos to a coordinated national response to diabetes, through the expertise of clinical endocrinologists, specialists, health care professionals and patients. The clinical training and expertise in diabetes and other insulin-related metabolic and autoimmune diseases of a clinical endocrinologist is what is needed to lead the Commission in the Chairperson role. With a clinical endocrinologist as Chair and representatives from other medical specialties and healthcare professions, such as cardiology, nephrology, eye care professionals, diabetes educators, dietitians, nutrition professionals, pharmacists, patients, and primary care, the Commission created under this legislation will help to ensure that new innovative medications and devices, such as the artificial pancreas, are effectively translated to the clinical setting, getting to patients who need them most.
Through innovation, collaboration, and application of advances in care, this initiative will improve the lives of the tens of millions of Americans living with diabetes, while simultaneously beginning to reduce the staggering impact of diabetes and its disease complications. These two critical objectives unite our organizations in support of the National Clinical Care Commission Act and we thank you for your leadership in advancing this legislation.
Sincerely,
Abbott
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
American Academy of Ophthalmology American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
American Association of Diabetes Educators American Association of Kidney Patients American College of Cardiology
American Diabetes Association American Medical Association
American Optometric Association
American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery American Society of Endocrine Physician Assistants AstraZeneca
BD
Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists Boehringer Ingelheim
Dexcom, Inc.
Diabetes Hands Foundation Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition diaTribe Foundation
Eli Lilly and Company Endocrine Society
Healthcare Leadership Council Insulet Corporation Johnson & Johnson
JDRF
Medtronic Merck
National Association of Chain Drug Stores National Kidney Foundation
Novo Nordisk, Inc.
Obesity Action Coalition Obesity Medicine Association Omada Health, Inc.
Pediatric Endocrine Society Renal Physicians Association Sanofi
The Obesity Society Weight Watchers International
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