September 20, 2000

Dear Chairman Porter and Congressman Obey:

I am writing to express the sincere appreciation of the Coalition for Health Services Research for your support of Federal health services research programs and to request your leadership once again in strengthening funding. Health services research results are increasingly being utilized by every segment of the health care delivery system to improve quality of care, expand access, and reduce costs. As a result, the need for increased funding has never been more imperative than now.

The Coalition is particularly appreciative of the Committee's strong recommendations for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). A FY2001 budget of at least $300 million is needed for AHRQ to fund investigator-initiated, disease management, and prevention research as well as address the urgent need to reduce errors in medicine. AHRQ support for investigator-initiated research is at a critical juncture at this time. As the demands on AHRQ have grown, the success rate for investigator-initiated research has fallen to a mere 7 percent, making it difficult to attract top researchers to work with the Agency and to the field of health services research. I urge you to seize the opportunity to correct this trend by providing funding above and beyond AHRQ's commitments.

I also request your consideration of providing additional funding for NCHS to, at a minimum, meet the President's request of $110 million in FY2001. If we are to continue to have essential information about health status and health utilization, we must take steps now to strengthen the health data infrastructure supported by NCHS.

Thank you for your consideration of the Coalition's request of at least $300 million in FY2001 funding of AHRQ and a minimum of $110 million for NCHS.

Sincerely,

W. David Helms
President