Voted for H.R. 5613, Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008. This bill would prevent the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from enacting regulations that would adversely impact funding for Medicaid services and Graduate Medical Education programs. The bill also would delay the enactment of these regulations through April 2009, which would save Virginia’s medical schools and hospitals millions of dollars.
Supported H.Res. 981, recognizing March 6, 2008, as the first-ever World Glaucoma Day. World Glaucoma Day was established to increase awareness of glaucoma, which is the second leading cause of preventable blindness in the United States and in the world.
Cosponsored H.Con.Res. 323, expressing support for the goals and ideals of National Health Care Decisions Day. This resolution would encourage all Americans to take the time to discuss their medical wishes with their families, and prepare advance directives through a living will or designation of a medical power of attorney. These steps allow individuals to maintain control over their health even at the end of their lives, regardless of the circumstances they may face.
Supported H.R. 1198, the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2008. This bill would expand the existing hearing loss program for newborns and infants to provide services for young children not currently eligible for services. H.R. 1198 also would require that families be given the opportunity to get the full range of early intervention services, educational and program placements, and other options for their child from highly qualified providers.
Supported H.R. 2464, the Wakefield Act, which would allow the Department of Health and Human Services to make grants to states or schools of medicine to support projects to expand and improve emergency medical services for children who need treatment for trauma or critical care. The purpose of the program would be to reduce the occurrence of sickness and death rate of children and youth by helping to improve the quality of all emergency medical care children receive.
Supported S. 845, the Safety of Seniors Act of 2008. This legislation would establish a national education campaign to reduce falls among older adults and prevent repeated falls.
Supported H.R. 2063, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2008. H.R. 2063 would direct the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education to develop a voluntary policy for managing the risk of food allergy and anaphylaxis in schools.
Supported S. 1858, the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2008, which would provide for education and outreach on newborn screening and coordinated follow-up care once standard newborn screening has been conducted. About 3,000 infants screened each year are identified with having health conditions that could be harmful in the future, many of which can be treated by a change of diet or increase in vitamins if the condition is caught at an early age. This legislation would establish a grant program to provide newborn screening training for health care professionals and laboratory personnel, and education and outreach to parents of newborns and children at risk for heritable disorders.
Supported S. 793, the Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 2008. S. 793 would expand the national program for traumatic brain injury registries. It would provide grants to states so they can link people with traumatic brain injuries to services and support through the states’ traumatic brain injury surveillance systems or registries.
Cosponsored H.R. 758, the Breast Cancer Patient Protect Action of 2007. This bill would ensure adequate treatment for breast cancer patients by allowing a patient and her to doctor decide whether she should recuperate in the hospital for 48 hours before returning home. Currently, many insurance companies refuse to cover a hospital stay for mastectomies, despite the known physical and emotional toll the surgery has on women. H.R. 758 is identical to H.R. 119, a bill that the late Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis introduced at the beginning of 2007 and of which Congressman Forbes was an original cosponsor. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, with about 1 in 8 women developing breast cancer in their lifetime.
Hosted a briefing for Members of Congress and staff on recent breakthroughs in stem cell research. Dr. Richard Burt of Northwestern University School of Medicine briefed the audience on the dramatic success he has seen when treating patients with therapies derived from their own adult stem cells. Patients who had previously suffered from Scleroderma, Multiple Sclerosis, and Lupus gave impassioned testimonials about their health conditions, treatment, and subsequent remission. Dr. Burt expressed concern that the medical research community has focused more on embryonic stem cells than on adult stem cells even though the vast body of evidence shows that more promise lies with adult stem cell therapies. Rep. Forbes is the lead cosponsor of H.R. 2807, the Patients First Act, which would prioritize funding for adult stem cell research. For more information on Dr. Burt’s research read his study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Voted against H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. Rep. Forbes supports the Senate-passed version of this legislation, which would enact mental health parity. It would break down existing barriers of higher insurance co-payments and deductibles, without requiring insurers to cover specific mental health conditions, and without limiting the growth of physician-owned hospitals. H.R. 1424 would require health insurance companies that cover mental illness to do so at parity with physical illness. It would require the same co-payments, deductibles, limits on doctor visits, limits on hospitalization, and annual and lifetime limits on coverage. However, unlike the Senate’s version of this bill (S. 558), H.R. 1424 would mandate the mental health conditions that must be covered, which could lead some plans that currently offer mental health coverage to drop mental health coverage all together.
Voted in favor of S. 2499, the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007. S.2499 would eliminate the upcoming 10% cut for physician reimbursement under Medicare and would allow for a 0.5% increase in physician reimbursements. S. 2499 would also authorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) through March 2009, a key provision in the Barton-Deal SCHIP extension (H.R. 3584) that Congressman Forbes cosponsored. S. 2499 would maintain the 50% threshold for co-located long-term care hospitals, which is a provision in a bill, H.R. 3057, that Congressman Forbes cosponsored. S. 2499 would also reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program, another program Congressman Forbes supported by cosponsoring H.R. 2762. Furthermore, this legislation would extend the abstinence–only education program and Transitional Medical Assistance program through June 30, 2008.
Sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Republican Leader Boehner asking them to move legislation to correct Medicare reimbursements for physicians. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is scheduled to impose a 10% cut for Medicare reimbursements. Congressman Forbes requested that legislation be adopted to reform the current payment model to avoid the cut and instead provide a 5% increase for reimbursements. This would encourage doctors to continue to accept Medicare as a form of insurance from their patients.
Supported H.Con.Res. 215, which designates National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Awareness Week. Each year, 325,000 coronary heart disease deaths happen outside of a hospital or emergency room. The use of CPR or an external defibrillator can up to double the chances of survival. This resolution recognizes the first week of June as National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Awareness Week.
Supported S. 597, legislation that would extend the special postage stamp for breast cancer research for four years. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, with about 1 in 8 women developing breast cancer in their lifetime. For more information about this stamp, please click here.
Voted in favor of H.R. 710, the Charlie W. Norwood Living Organ Donation Act. H.R. 710 would make paired human organ donation legal and allow organizations like the United Network for Organ Sharing to track eligibility for paired donation. Currently, the practice of matching a transplant candidate and an incompatible living donor with another such incompatible pair is not allowed under the National Organ Transplant Act. The bill's original sponsor, Congressman Charlie Norwood, died of lung disease and cancer in February 2007.
Voted to uphold the President’s veto of H.R. 3043, the Fiscal Year 2008 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. This legislation would have appropriated $607 billion for these departments and agencies, and of the total, three quarters was for mandatory entitlement spending programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. The conference agreement for H.R. 3043 would appropriate a total of $606.4 billion for programs in the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, which represents an increase of approximately $61 billion (11%) more than the current level and $10 billion (2%) more than the president's request. Furthermore, this legislation contained more than 2,200 earmarks totaling nearly $1 billion, many of which were not added to the bill until the final hour.
Cosponsored H.R. 2762, a bill to reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program for Type I diabetes. This would reauthorize the research for Type I diabetes and reauthorize the diabetes prevention and treatment programs. Almost 21 million Americans are affected with diabetes, with over six million of them unaware and untreated for the disease.
Cosponsored H.R. 3334, the SMA Treatment Acceleration Act, a bill to require the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to upgrade and unify existing spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) clinical trial sites to establish a national clinical trials network for SMA. SMA is a genetic disease that affects the spinal cord and brain stem and leads to muscle atrophy. Approximately one in 6000 babies is born with some form of SMA and SMA kills more babies than any other genetic disease.
Cosponsored H.J.Res. 54 which would overturn a rule from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that limits the availability of erythropiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) in some treatments of anemia. CMS issued a recommendation earlier this year that would significantly reduce access to ESA treatments for Medicare patients. Anemia is a common complication for cancer patients, and ESAs are a widely-used treatment to help beneficiaries cope with its effects. Without ESA treatments, patients would be forced to rely on blood transfusions through the course of chemotherapy to combat anemia, which carries risk of transmissible diseases and a hospital visit to receive the transfusion. Congressman Forbes is a member of the Cancer Care Working Group and is committed to ensuring quality care and treatment options to cancer patients, no matter what their coverage.
Voted in favor of H.R. 1567, to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide increased assistance for the prevention, treatment, and control of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is one of the greatest infectious causes of death of adults worldwide, killing 1.6 million people per year--one person every 20 seconds. Twenty-two countries account for 80 percent of the world's burden of tuberculosis, and more than 50 percent of tuberculosis cases in the United States are attributable to foreign-born individuals. Recent research has shown that to invest in tuberculosis control abroad, where treatment and program costs are significantly cheaper than in the United States, can be a cost-effective strategy to reduce tuberculosis-related morbidity and mortality domestically.
Voted in favor of H.Res. 335, which expressed the Sense of the House of Representatives that lung cancer should be a public health priority and interagency programs should be implemented to reduce lung cancer mortality rates by 50% by 2015. Over 210,000 people are estimated to be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2007 in the United States and over 160,000 people will die of lung cancer in 2007 in the United States.
Voted in favor of H.Res. 760, which supports the goals and ideals of Children’s Health Month. H.Res. 760 recognizes and salutes the health care professionals who provide care and treatment for childhood illnesses and afflictions. H.R 760 also recognizes and salutes the officials who educate parents, schools, and communities about health risks and related issues for children.
Voted in favor of H.R. 20, the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act, which would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to expand and intensify research and related activities on postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. The bill would also provide the resources for the delivery of essential services to individuals with such conditions and their families. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, about 10 percent of new moms experience postpartum depression — a more severe form of depression that can develop within the first six months after giving birth.
Supported H.R. 2295, the ALS Registry Act, which would establish a registry for people suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. This registry would help in an effort to collect data on the possible causes and progression of the Lou Gehrig's Disease. Approximately 5,600 people are diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease every year in the United States.
Supported H.Con.Res. 210, which expresses the support of the House of Representatives for the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. In the United States, 1000 babies are born every year with sickle cell disease.
Supported H.Res. 470, which expresses the support of the House of Representatives for efforts to increase childhood cancer awareness, treatment, and research. Congressman Forbes is a member of the Cancer Care Working Group.
Supported H.R. 507, the Vision Care for Kids Act, which would increase the number of low-income children who are screened and treated for vision problems. The bill would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to states to: (1) provide comprehensive eye examinations by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist for children identified by a licensed health care provider or vision screener, with priority to children under age nine; (2) provide treatment or services to correct vision problems of such children; and (3) develop and disseminate educational materials on recognizing signs of visual impairment in children.
Supported H.R. 970, the Dextromethorphan Distribution Act, which would prohibit the bulk sale of dextromethorphan (DXM), an ingredient used in cough syrup that can be abused when taken in large doses. The legislation makes it illegal to distribute unfinished DXM to a person or company not registered with the Food and Drug Administration.
Supported the H.R. 1727, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, which would expand and coordinate research on paralysis and aim to improve quality of life for paralyzed individuals.
Supported H.Con.Res.133, supporting the goals and ideals of a Long-Term Care Awareness Week. The first week in November is designated as the opportunity to educate Americans on the importance of health care planning and long-term care. The Department of Health and Human Services has reported that approximately 60 percent of individuals who are over the age of 65 will need some kind of long-term care services and at some point more than 40 percent of such individuals will require nursing home care.
Supported H.Res.448, a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a National Cancer Research Month should be established to increase public awareness of the nearly 200 forms of cancer.
Supported H.Con.Res. 182, a resolution recognizing the need to pursue research into the causes, a treatment, and an eventual cure for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and supporting the goals and ideals of National Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week. It is estimated the 200,000 people in the United States are affected by the pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis harms the tissues deep in a person's lungs. The air sacs in the lungs and their supporting structures become inflamed and scarred and if the scarring progresses, it makes the lungs thick and stiff. This results in problems breathing and a person's blood not getting enough oxygen.
Supported H.Res. 524, a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Diamond-Blackfan Anemia (DBA) is a disease that should be better identified and understood in an effort to better treat and care for individuals with the disease. DBA is a rare genetic bone marrow failure disorder that affects children and adults and results in severe anemia due to failure to produce red blood cells. Children with DBA have an increased risk of other diseases, such as leukemia, solid tumors, and complete bone marrow failure, and 50 percent of patients with DBA are born with birth defects
Cosponsored H.R. 741, the Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Prevention, Education, and Research Act, which would create an Advisory Committee within the National Institute of Health to coordinate Lyme disease research. The Committee would focus on better diagnostic tests for better early detection, increasing education and public awareness and develop treatment outcome objectives. Lyme disease can be easily treated if caught early enough. If left untreated, the disease can lead to problems with a person’s nervous system or heart.
Cosponsored H.R. 3584, a bill to extend the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). SCHIP provides states with funds for health insurance coverage for low-income children. H.R. 3584 would extend the current SCHIP program for 18 months to maintain current levels of funding while a reauthorization of the program is agreed on between the House and Senate. This bill does not raise tobacco taxes, rely on cuts to Medicare programs, or substantially expand the program's budget.
Cosponsored H.R. 3057, Medicare Long-Term Care Patient Safety and Improvement Act, which prevents the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from reducing Medicare payments to Long-Term Care Hospitals or reducing the threshold of patients from a co-located hospital.
Cosponsored H.R. 1193, Kidney Care Quality and Education Act, which would create a pilot program designed to increase public awareness about factors leading to chronic kidney disease. This legislation will establish educational programs to highlight kidney disease treatment and prevention. These programs will teach self-management skills to improve quality of life and prevent premature kidney disease. The bill also improves end-state renal disease reimbursement rates under Medicare.
Hosted a bipartisan press conference announcing H.R. 2807, the Patients First Act, which Congressman Forbes introduced. The Patients First Act promotes research using stem cells that are ethically obtained and show evidence of providing near-term clinical benefit for human patients without the creation of human embryos, or the destruction or discarding of human embryos. The bill will intensify research that may result in treatments for diseases and other adverse health conditions.
Cosponsored the Help Efficient Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2007, H.R. 2580. Recent surges in medical malpractice lawsuits over the past few years have caused many physicians to close their practice or retire due to skyrocketing malpractice insurance costs. Without committed health care providers, patients cannot get the high quality care that they need to stay healthy. The HEALTH Act of 2007 sets forth provisions regulating medical malpractice lawsuits, specifically for health care liability claims concerning the provision of health care goods or services, or any medical product affecting interstate commerce.
Cosponsored H.R. 2302, the Health Insurance Affordability Act of 2007, which would allow individuals and families who buy healthcare for themselves to deduct from their taxes the premiums of high-deductible health insurance plans associated with Health Savings Accounts. Currently, individuals' contributions to Health Savings Accounts are tax deductible, but the premiums paid for the high-deductible insurance associated with the accounts usually are not.
Signed a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) asking that they provide coverage for erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), a treatment that plays an important role in helping cancer patients cope with the debilitating side effects of chemotherapy. Congressman Forbes is a member of the Cancer Care Working Group.
Joined the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Caucus. The purpose of the caucus is to serve as a forum to discuss critical health care, disability, research, and other issues affecting people living with MS as well as to raise awareness of the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the United States.
Joined the Congressional Vision Caucus (CVC). The CVC is a bipartisan coalition of Members of Congress dedicated to strengthening and stimulating a national dialogue and policy on vision-related problems and disabilities.
Supported H.Res 208, a resolution recognizing the 25th anniversary of the founding of Operation Smile. Operation Smile is an organization of volunteer medical professionals committed to traveling around the world to treat children suffering from facial deformities.
Signed a letter to the House Budget Committee, asking them to protect access to hospital care for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Nearly 2/3 of America's hospitals lost money treating Medicare patients in 2005. This letter asks the Budget Committee to oppose any budget cuts to community hospitals in the 2008 federal budget, or any cuts in hospital spending in Medicare or Medicaid, so that hospitals can continue to provide high quality care to all who come through their doors.
Voted in favor of H.R. 1467, the 10,000 Trained by 2010 Act, which would require the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award competitive grants for basic research on innovative approaches to improve health care information systems, as well as for scientific and engineering activities to improve education in the health care information fields.
Cosponsored H.R. 1926, the Colon Cancer Screen for Life Act of 2007. Colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in America. Early detection through colonoscopy screening is the most effective method to prevent and treat this disease. This legislation would increase the Medicare reimbursement rate for a colonoscopy and authorize coverage for a pre-procedure appointment.
Cosponsored H.R. 241, the Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2007. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Americans who have no health insurance increased to about 46.5 million last year. H.R. 241 would provide for the establishment and governance of association health plans (AHPs), or small business health plans. AHPs would allow small businesses to band together through associations and purchase quality health care for workers and their families at a lower cost.
Served as Honorary Co-Host of the 4th Annual Advanced Initiatives in Medical Simulation (AIMS) Conference & Exhibition on Capitol Hill. The exhibition included hands-on demonstrations of medical simulation, a critical health care technology that reduces real-life medical errors through virtual training. The exhibition highlighted the importance of issues related to patient safety, medical errors, and health care costs for policymakers in Washington. To listen to Congressman Forbes' remarks, click here.
Joined with House colleagues in a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding long-term acute care (LTAC) hospitals, asking them to develop more appropriate admission criteria for LTAC hospitals so that they can continue to provide specialized care to all patients who walk through their doors. LTAC hospitals serve a vital role in the Medicare program by providing care to beneficiaries with complex conditions, who are too sick to go home, but are stable enough to be released from an intensive care unit.
Joined House colleagues in a letter supporting diabetes research, treatment and prevention programs, to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader John Boehner. The letter specifically asks the House leadership for significant funding for minority communities for type 1 diabetes research and type 2 diabetes treatment and prevention programs. According to the Center for Disease Control, diabetes was the sixth leading cause of death in 2000. According to the National Institute of Health, roughly 20 million people, or seven percent of the population, have diabetes, and many individuals lack access to proper treatment of diabetes.
Cosponsored H.Res. 257, a resolution supporting Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. This legislation raises public awareness for citizens across the country about pancreatic cancer, the need for funding, early detection methods, effective treatments and prevention programs. Over 37,000 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year. If passed, this resolution would designate November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
Cosponsored the Minority Diabetes Initiative Act, H.R. 1031, legislation which would create community grants for diabetes prevention and treatment programs in minority communities to physicians, community-based organizations and other health care providers. Diabetes, the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, leads to complications such as heart disease, blindness and kidney disease, and many individuals lack access to proper health care to treat diabetes. This legislation would help these individuals lead healthy and productive lives through the creation of essential community programs.
Joined the Rural Health Care Coalition (RHCC). The RHCC is a group of bi-partisan Members of Congress who are committed to advancing rural priorities in health care policy. The RHCC has been successful in establishing the Office of Rural Health Policy within the Department of Health and Human Services, creating the Rural Health Transition Grant Program, and forming the Critical Access Hospital program.
Joined the House Diabetes Caucus, a bipartisan group of Congress committed to improving the life of the 17 million Americans with diabetes. The Caucus is also dedicated to supporting important research funding into diabetes and diabetes-related complications.
Joined the Alzheimer's Task Force, whose mission is to improve the lives of those affected by Alzheimer's through pursuit of increased funding for research and improved support to Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers.
Cosponsored H.R. 1647, legislation to expand Medicaid coverage to include essential foot care services performed by podiatrists. Foot disease is a common complication of diabetes, and thousands have diabetes-related leg, foot, or toe amputations each year. Comprehensive foot and ankle care would improve quality of life by increasing mobility and preventing amputations.
