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Eric D. Hargan October 16, 2017
Acting Secretary
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Washington, D.C. 20201
Dear Acting Secretary Hargan,
The undersigned organizations representing physicians, allied health professionals, patients, community health organizations and industry, urge you to act expeditiously to implement the National Clinical Care Commission Act (S. 920/HR 309) after it is signed into law. This legislation has been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and the
U.S. Senate in the 115th Congress.
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.
As organizations who have advocated for passage of this legislation over the last six years, we believe the Commission established under this law 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 Commission can help to facilitate a change from agencies working in silos to a coordinated national response to diabetes and can 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.
We urge you to move quickly to facilitate the process to appoint Commission members so the Commission can begin its important work as soon as possible. The clinical expertise and practical experience brought to federal decision-making by representatives from clinical endocrinology, cardiology, nephrology, eye care professionals, primary care physicians, diabetes educators, dietitian and nutrition professionals, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals and patient advocates, will facilitate recommendations for new strategies to improve patient care. Clinical training and expertise in diabetes and other insulin-related diseases will be needed to lead the Commission and it is our hope that a clinical endocrinologist will be chosen to serve as the Chairperson of the Commission.
Through innovation, collaboration, and application of advances in care, the Commission 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 on our healthcare system. These two critical objectives have united our organizations in advocacy for this initiative and we are looking forward to the Commission being established and starting to work.
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 Clinical Laboratory Association American College of Cardiology
American Diabetes Association
American Optometric Association American Podiatric Medical Association
American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery American Society of Endocrine Physician Assistants American Society of Nephrology
Amgen Ascensia Diabetes Care
AstraZeneca BD
Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists Boehringer Ingelheim
Children With Diabetes Dexcom, Inc.
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
YMCA of the USA[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
