The American Academy of Pain Medicine

National Pain Care Policy Act

Most painful conditions can be relieved with proper treatment, yet too often there are many obstacles that can prevent proper pain management. The National Pain Care Policy Act helps address the obstacles to proper treatment by improving coordination of pain research and healthcare practitioner education, as well as increasing public awareness.

HR 756 was introduced in the House on January 28, 2009, and passed the full House on March 30.  An identical bill (S 660) was introduced in the Senate on March 19. 

Both HR 756 and S 660 would authorize an Institute of Medicine Conference on Pain Care, promote pain research at NIH, provide comprehensive pain care education and training for health care professionals, and institute a public awareness campaign on pain management.

Full Text of HR 756

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Both the House and Senate versions of the National Pain Care Policy Act currently sit in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). Please get involved in grass roots advocacy and urge senators, especially those on the HELP committee, to support these bills. Committee members are as follows:

• Edward Kennedy (D MA) - chairman
• Christopher Dodd (D CT)
• Tom Harkin (D IA)
• Barbara Mikulski (D MD)
• Jeff Bingaman (D NM)
• Patty Murray (D WA)
• Jack Reed (D RI)
• Bernard Sanders (I VT)
• Sherrod Brown (D OH)
• Robert Casey Jr. (D PA)
• Kay Hagan (D NC)
• Jeff Merkley (D OR)
• Michael Enzi (R WY)
• Judd Gregg (R NH)
• Lamar Alexander (R TN)
• Richard Burr (R NC)
• Johnny Isakson (R GA)
• John McCain (R AZ)
• Orrin Hatch (R UT)
• Lisa Murkowski (R AK)
• Tom Coburn, M.D. (R OK)
• Pat Roberts (R KS)

HR 756 was introduced by Rep. Lois Capps (CA-23) and Rep. Mike Rogers (MI-8)

Co-Sponsors of HR-756:
The dates are the date they became a co-sponsor.

• Rep. Tammy Baldwin (WI-2) - 3/2/09
• Rep. Charles A. Gonzalez (TX-20) - 3/4/09
• Rep. Bart Gordon (TN-6) - 2/24/09
• Rep. Gene Green (TX-29) - 3/3/09
• Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (AZ-7) - 3/4/09
• Rep. Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) - 3/2/09
• Rep. David Loebsack (IA-2) - 3/3/09
• Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-16) - 3/3/09
• Rep. Edward J. Markey (MA-7) - 3/3/09
• Rep. Thaddeus G. McCotter (MI-11) - 2/24/09
• Rep. James P. McGovern (MA-3) - 3/3/09
• Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky (IL-9) - 3/3/09
• Rep. Betty Sutton (OH-13) - 3/2/09