The National Pain Care Policy Act (H.R. 1863) is the most comprehensive pain care bill ever introduced in Congress. Representative Mike Rogers (MI-8) is the bill’s sponsor; 42 other members of Congress have signed on in support. The bill was referred to committee, but stalled there. The American Pain Foundation and Partners for Understanding Pain are working with Rep. Rogers to get the bill moving again. They will be meeting with Rep. Rogers on Wednesday, Jan. 26. Americans concerned about the lack of and/or access to treatment for pain should contact their representatives to express their support for this bill. Copies of these messages will be delivered to Rep. Rogers as well, impressing upon him the need for his continued leadership on this important bill. A few key details of the bill are provided below; you can read the entire bill at http://www.cfids.org/cfidslink/2005/pain-bill.asp .

The CFIDS Association of America supports this bill and invites you to use the Grassroots Action Center to contact your representative. Go to www.cfids.org and click on the Capitol Building icon. Follow the easy prompts from there. You’ll find a sample letter that you can use as-is or customize to reflect your own perspective. We’ll track letters sent through our website and report back to the American Pain Foundation and the Partners for Understanding Pain to aid their efforts.

Thanks for supporting the Association and expressing your concern about the appropriate care for those with chronic pain.

K. Kimberly McCleary
President & CEO
The CFIDS Association of America

P.S. The federal Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee met on January 10, 2005 in Washington, D.C. Read our meeting report at http://h22.119.39.162.ip.alltel.net:81/CT00039103MTM2ODIA.HTML. Readers of our free online e-newsletter, CFIDS Link, received this report two days after the meeting. To sign up for this monthly news source, simply complete the form at http://www.cfids.org/subscribe.asp.

H.R. 1863 (108th Congress) – National Pain Care Policy Act
A bill to declare adequate pain care research, education, and treatment as national public health priorities, and for other purposes.

This bill calls for:

• A White House Conference on Pain Care
• National Center for Pain and Palliative Care Research
• Pain care education and training
• Public awareness campaign about pain management
• Pain care initiative in military health care facilities
• Pain care standards in Medicare+Choice plans
• Pain care standards in TRICARE plans
• Annual report on Medicare expenditures for pain care services
• Pain care initiative in veterans’ health care facilities