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Rep. Payne, Jr. Re-Introduces Bill to Reduce Amputations Nationwide

April 16, 2021

Media Contact: Patrick Wright -- Patrick.Wright@mail.house.gov

Washington, D.C. — Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. re-introduced the Amputation Reduction and Compassion (ARC) Act today. The bipartisan bill requires Medicare, Medicaid, and plans sold on the federal healthcare exchanges to fully cover screening tests for beneficiaries who are at-risk of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).

"There are too many Americans who are at risk for an unnecessary amputation from PAD," said Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. "PAD is treatable if we can get people screened and catch it early. We need to support and promote more screenings so we can help patients keep their limbs."

Rep. Payne, Jr. is a strong supporter of efforts to reduce PAD-related amputations. He co-founded the PAD Caucus in April 2019 with Rep. Gus Bilirakis to raise awareness of PAD and include it in federal government health care priorities. The caucus currently has eight members.

PAD occurs when blood flow is reduced to the arms and legs because arteries become narrowed or blocked with fatty deposits. It is a similar condition to the one that causes heart attacks, which is why PAD sufferers have a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes. Today, 21 million Americans have PAD and an estimated 200,000 of them will need an amputation. These amputations could be prevented if PAD is screened and diagnosed early. One example is a procedure called revascularization, which reopens blood vessels narrowed from PAD and prevent the amputation of limbs. The ARC Act has eight co-sponsors.

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