Ask your U.S. representative to support the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act

The Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA) was reintroduced in the House last week as HR 647. This bipartisan legislation, supported by the Sisters of Charity Health System and the Catholic Health Association of the United States, would establish education centers and career incentive awards to improve the training of doctors, nurses, physician assistants, social workers and other health professionals in palliative care.

We are urging everyone to contact your representative to ask him/her to co-sponsor this important legislation, particularly if your member of Congress is on the House Energy & Commerce Committee. For a current list of HR 647 co-sponsors click here, and a sample letter urging representatives to co-sponsor PCHETA is available on e-Advocacy.

As our country and the health care industry look for ways to improve health care quality while reducing costs, expanding access to high quality palliative care is one way to help us reach these goals. Studies show that early access to palliative care for seriously ill patients improves their quality of life and in some cases even prolongs it.

Please urge your U.S. representative to support HR 647. A sample letter is available on e-Advocacy.