Washington, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis (D-CA), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health and Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Task Force on Health and the Environment, was joined by Congressman Michael C. Burgess (R-TX), a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health, in introducing the Access to America’s Orthopaedic Services Act of 2008. 

This legislation will improve the awareness of musculoskeletal diseases and conditions among the public and health care professionals and responds to gaps noted in the 2004 “Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General.” It also provides for a study aimed at reviewing the amount of educational and training funding available for physicians trained in orthopaedics.

“As our population ages, I believe that we must improve the prevention, treatment, and awareness of musculoskeletal conditions, especially in underserved communities of color,” said Congresswoman Solis.  “Understanding the burden of musculoskeletal disorders through additional research and addressing access to orthopaedic services are the first important steps to address musculoskeletal health.”     

Musculoskeletal diseases and conditions are the leading cause of disability in the United States.  More than 30 percent of Americans require medical care because of a musculoskeletal disease, and the United States spends $849 billion annually in direct and indirect costs on bone and joint medical care.  In addition, one out of every two women and one out of every four men older than age 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in his or her lifetime.  Ten percent of Latinas aged 50 and older are estimated to have osteoporosis, and 49 percent are estimated to have low bone mass.

In addition to building awareness there is growing concern that there will not be enough physicians available to deliver care for musculoskeletal conditions.  This bill provides a mechanism to survey the outlook for training and education of these kinds of physicians.

“While the demand for health care is growing, unfortunately, the supply of health professionals including Orthopaedic Surgeons is not.  This bill targets that growing gap by investing in our physician workforce today with the goal of training Americans next generation of doctors to deliver care tomorrow,” said Congressman Burgess, a physician who practiced for nearly 25 years in Texas before coming to Congress.

“This legislation is indeed a great victory for the orthopaedic profession and our patients,” said David A. Halsey, MD, Chair of the Council on Advocacy for the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons. “The burden of musculoskeletal diseases and conditions has a much deeper impact on the nation’s health care system than many realize. In order to fully address this impact and ensure America’s access to orthopaedic services, we must first identify and address gaps in musculoskeletal health services and raise awareness about the importance of educating the public on these debilitating diseases.”

The Access to America’s Orthopaedic Services Act of 2008 would improve knowledge about the public health effects of musculoskeletal diseases. The legislation would:

• Provide reports to Congress to analyze the extent, to which musculoskeletal research is being funded, the number of new investigators entering the musculoskeletal research field, and existing Federal trauma care initiatives;
• Urge the Office of Minority Health to consider musculoskeletal diseases and conditions as an additional health priority;
• Advise the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to issue recommendations for a standard cost-effective modality for measuring bone density;
• Require the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct public education campaigns on musculoskeletal health; and,
• Increase agency reporting requirements to improve the treatment and management of musculoskeletal disease across various populations and to reduce disease burden and injury among children and the elderly.

The Access to America’s Orthopaedic Services Act is supported by the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Original cosponsors include: Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.), Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA), Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), Rep. Gene Green (D-TX), Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX), Rep. Randy Kuhl (R-NY), Rep. Michael Michaud (D-ME), Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), Rep. David Scott (D-GA), Rep. Betty Sutton (D-OH), and Rep. Gene Taylor (D-MS).

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