I am pleased to let you know that I have joined a bipartisan group of Senators in requesting an increase in funding for heart disease and stroke research, prevention and treatment programs.  Cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack and stroke, kill more Americans than the next four leading causes of death combined and also result in high medical costs for our nation.  In our letter to a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, we encourage funding for the following programs:

CDC Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program.  This important program provides funding to actually implement heart disease and stroke prevention programs.  While remarkably effective, the program can only provide services to a limited number of states because of inadequate funding.  We encourage progress in funding this program so that its life-saving work can be extended to all 50 states.

CDC’s WISEWOMAN Program.  The Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) Program screens uninsured and under-insured women for heart disease and stroke risks and provides those with abnormal results with counseling, education, referral and followup services.  However, only 14 states are funded to offer services.  Like the program above, this highly effective program should be expanded to other states.

HRSA’s Rural and Community Access to Emergency Devices Program.  Sudden cardiac arrest can be deadly, but more people can survive if immediate CPR and early defibrillation are made available.  The President has proposed terminating the program that provides these life-saving devices to rural communities.  In our letter, we strongly encourage that it be continued and funding restored.

NIH Research for Heart Disease and Stroke.  The number of people suffering from cardiovascular disease is expected to increase in the coming years, with a related increased cost for treatment.  We encourage increased funding so that we can learn more about ways to extend both health and lives while reducing the cost of treatment.

Overall, funding programs like the ones outlined above can result in lower medical costs and in improved health outcomes.  You can count on me to continue to work for these types of effective and sensible programs.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator