Bipartisan "Cures 2.1" White Paper Released in Waning Days of Last Congress

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) and former Rep. Larry Buchson (R-IN) released a 21st Century Cures 2.1 white paper Dec. 24, containing recommendations for consideration in the 119th Congress. The American College of Radiology® (ACR®) provided comments informing the document last summer.

The 21st Century Cures Act (2016) addressed topics related to software oversight, data sharing, biomedical research funding and payment policy. Congress began to examine Cures Act-related gaps and opportunities in 2019, an effort that was coined “Cures 2.0,” and ultimately helped establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).

The latest white paper, “A Roadmap for 21st Century Cures Next Steps for the Cures 2.0 Act and the 21st Century Cures Initiative,” suggests focus areas for future Cures-related legislative activities, including changes to Medicare payment policy and local coverage determination processes, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force processes, clinical trials access, health information exchange, software/medical device oversight, and more.

ACR members with questions about Cures 2.0 can contact Michael Peters, ACR Senior Director, Government Relations, or Katie Grady, ACR Government Affairs Director.