FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July, 10^th, 2013 

Paulsen, Matheson Introduce Critical Care Legislation

Bipartisan Proposal Aims to Improve Quality and Value in the Critical Care Delivery

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representatives Erik Paulsen (MN-03) and Jim Matheson (UT-04) ) introduced bipartisan legislation to evaluate the nation’s critical care resources and infrastructure. The legislation is designed to identify gaps in the current critical care delivery model and bolster capabilities to meet future demand. Care in our nation’s intensive care units (ICUs) represents 17 percent of all hospital costs or approximately $121 billion annually. The Critical Care Assessment and Improvement Act will ensure that America’s critical care delivery system is structured to meet the demands of the 21^st century. 

Five million Americans are admitted into ICUs each year, and despite the significant role critical care medicine plays and its impact on healthcare costs, there is an absence of federal policy addressing critical care issues, especially in the areas of infrastructure and workforce, research, and quality of care. 

“At some point, nearly 80 percent of all Americans will experience a critical care injury or illness as a patient, family member, or friend of a patient,” said Rep. Paulsen. “Although critical care medicine impacts the lives of millions of Americans and accounts for nearly $121 billion in hospital costs every year, there is a lack of a comprehensive understanding of critical care infrastructure, workforce, research, and quality of care. Shedding a light on U.S. critical care readiness by requiring an extensive evaluation of critical care delivery will increase health outcomes for patients.”

“Despite the millions of Americans who rely on critical care each year, there continues to be an absence of federal policy addressing critical care issues,” added Rep. Jim Matheson, member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Heath Subcommittee.  “Our country needs a blueprint for critical care, as outlined in this bill, so that we can align our resources with our policy goals, and so that we can serve our patients and our communities better.”

Among its provisions, the bill calls for the establishment of a coordinating council at the National Institutes of Health to identify gaps in critical care research and strengthen partnerships to expand cross-cutting collaborative research; provides an assessment of the state of the critical care workforce; and, authorizes the development of a demonstration program to improve the quality and efficiency of care provided to critically ill patients.  

Read the legislation HERE.

Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus.

For more information on Rep. Paulsen’s work in Congress visit www.paulsen.house.gov.

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