AABB, as part of the Sickle Cell Disease Coalition (SCDC), urged Congressional leaders to include the Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Comprehensive Care Act (S. 3389/H.R. 6216) in any end-of-year legislative package.
The legislation – introduced by Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Reps. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) and Danny Davis (D-Ill.) – would authorize the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to develop a demonstration program for Medicaid beneficiaries to improve access to comprehensive outpatient care for individuals with SCD. Booker, Scott, Burgess and Davis proposed the legislation following a request from coalition members last year.
In the November 17 letter, coalition members emphasized that individuals with SCD have been impacted disproportionately by the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to lack access to quality, state-of-the-art outpatient and preventive care. Coalition members believe that an organized approach to primary and preventive care for individuals with SCD is needed to improve the health and quality of life for this population.
