The Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act

On April 28, 2022, Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-5th), Jim Banks (R-IN-3rd) and Brad Wenstrup (R-OH-2nd) introduced The Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act.

“Quality-adjusted life years” (QALYs) are a metric used to determine the cost-effectiveness of medications and treatment in healthcare. The metric is a subjective quality of life standard that anticipates a person’s lifespan. The use of QALYs can lead to denying medications and treatment to those with disabilities throughout their life course, from childhood to adulthood. Currently, only Medicare is prohibited from using QALYs. The bill would expand access to treatment and prevent discrimination against people with disabilities by prohibiting the use of QALYs in all federal programs.

In 2019, the National Council on Disability issued the report Quality-Adjusted Life Years and the Devaluation of Life with Disability. The report outlines the evidence of the discriminatory effects of QALYs and examples of how the use of QALYs in state-run programs violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.