The American Academy of Pain Medicine

Pain Care Coalition (PCC) Activities

Veterans Pain Care Act 2008
Military Pain Care Act 2008
National Pain Care Policy Act of 2007

As one of the founders of the Pain Care Coalition, AAPM works with other pain societies to develop Federal Healthcare Policy on behalf of persons with pain by addressing quality of care and access to care issues through legislative, regulatory, and research mechanisms.

Mission

The PCC seeks to influence federal healthcare policy via legislative, regulatory, and research avenues on behalf of people with pain by addressing 'quality of care' and 'access to care' issues. The PCC has taken active positions on a number of legislative and regulatory activities:

• opposition to the 1998 Hyde-Nickles bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act

• support for awarding to a pain center at least one National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research 5-year “P60” grant

• creation of a key-contacts program through members of the three organizations

• support for inclusion of severe pain in the Patient’s Bill of Rights section on access to emergency care for Medicare patients

• comment on the Health Care Financing Administration ambulatory surgery center proposed rule

• participation in the Wyden End-of-Life Care study group

The PCC Steering Committee includes two members and the executive director of each of the three component organizations. It is currently creating guidelines for new members.