Reps. Chu, Engel, Carter Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Continue Funding for National Quality Forum 

WASHINGTON, DC - Reps. Judy Chu (D-CA), Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), and Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) introduced a bill to reauthorize funding for the National Quality Forum, an organization critical to improving the nation’s healthcare system.

“We spend millions of dollars on our healthcare system, and patients deserve to know if their care is safe and effective," said Rep. Chu. “Supporting federal funding for the National Quality Forum will ensure that we are providing them with the best services possible, that have been measured and tested for safety and affordability, especially for our most vulnerable citizens.”

“The National Quality Forum is one of the nation’s leaders when it comes to developing programs and tools for improving health care quality,” said Rep. Engel. “I am pleased to support this bipartisan effort that will provide the National Quality Forum with the resources to continue promoting safe, high-quality care for all Americans.”

“Funding for the National Quality Forum is important for our nation’s efforts to achieve cost-efficient, high-quality, value-based health care that ensures the best care for Americans and the best use of our country’s health care dollars.” said Rep. Buddy Carter.

“We applaud Representatives Chu, Engel and Carter for introducing this bill. At a time when it is critical to continue improving our healthcare system and better outcomes for patients, our work is more important than ever.” said Shantanu Agrawal, MD, MPhil, NQF President, and Chief Executive Officer. “This bill will allow us to continue implementing improvement strategies that reduce costs and help patients get better care.”

Founded in 1999, the National Quality Forum (NQF) is a private, nonpartisan, independent organization that convenes physicians, hospitals, payers, consumers, and national experts in a consensus-based process to lend their expertise and endorse the best measurement tools for improving accountability and patient care. NQF’s multi-stakeholder approach to high-impact measurement is unique and the key to driving better quality care and lower costs, while also decreasing the burden on physicians and other providers.

Federal improvement programs that use NQF-endorsed quality measures have reduced patient harm in hospitals by 21 percent, saving 125,000 lives and $28 billion in costs. The 3.1 million fewer harms to patients achieved from 2010-2015 include a 91 percent decrease in central line infections and a 16 percent decrease in surgical site infections. Hospital readmission rates for Medicare patients have decreased by 8 percent since 2012.

The bill would extend funding for the National Quality Forum for 5 years at $30 million a year.

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About the National Quality Forum:
The National Quality Forum (NQF) works with members of the healthcare community to drive measurable health improvements together. NQF is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization that gives all healthcare stakeholders a voice in advancing quality measures and improvement strategies that lead to better outcomes and greater value. Learn more at www.qualityforum.org.