AABB Urges Policymakers to Consider Sickle Cell Disease Comprehensive Care Act

AABB joined a coalition of health care organizations in urging leaders of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce to include the Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Comprehensive Care Act (H.R. 5178) in an upcoming hearing or markup. This bipartisan legislation would authorize state Medicaid programs to provide comprehensive, coordinated care through a health home model for individuals with SCD based solely on their diagnosis.

In the letter, coalition partners emphasized that the health home model is a proven care Medicaid care delivery system widely used by states to improve quality, enhance care and reduce unnecessary costs. Expanding this model to include SCD would alleviate challenges and disparities in care facing individuals with SCD by ensuring that patients have access to coordinated clinical, mental health and ancillary services to address their physical, mental and social needs.

The organizations also highlighted that the legislation would benefit people living with SCD who are transitioning from pediatric to adult care, where studies demonstrate there are often significant challenges maintaining continuity of care. They also emphasized the legislation’s cost-saving benefits, noting that the Congressional Budget Office scored the legislation as saving $4 million in the 10-year budget window.