AHRQ supporters fight funding cuts again

The Bush administration proposes a $24.7 million budget cut for health care's "apple pie" agency.

By Andis Robeznieks, AMNews staff. May 12, 2003.

Only a few months ago, medical societies were asked to rally the troops to help restore funding for a federal agency that helps translate medical research into practice. Now they're being asked to do it again.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is a branch of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. AHRQ is recognized for its work in enhancing patient safety and in helping to discover and promote new practices that improve health care delivery.

For the second consecutive year, however, AHRQ is facing budget cuts. Last year, AHRQ supporters were able to persuade Congress to boost funding to $303.7 million instead.

Now, Bush administration budget requests include $279 million for AHRQ -- a $24.7 million decrease in funding for next year. That has W. David Helms, PhD, concerned.

"I wouldn't think that Congress would want to go below the 300 [million-dollar] base," said Dr. Helms, president of the Coalition for Health Services Research and leader of the Friends of AHRQ coalition. "If people want more done on improving patient safety and controlling costs, you can't do all that with only $300 million. You have to add to that."

While testifying before a House of Representatives appropriations subcommittee April 3, AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy, MD, said translating research into practice would be the agency's "first priority" in 2004 and that it plans to dedicate $84 million to "patient safety activities" (compared with $60 million in 2003).