(Congressional Fiscal year 2008 runs from October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008)

What’s Been Accomplished Thus Far

By Sharon Williams, Legislative Advocacy and Regional Networking Alliance Manager

January and February 2007: FY 2008 HHT Legislative Language and Funding Request was established by HHT Foundation.

The HHT Foundation is asking for an $8 million appropriation designation for HHT through the Center for Disease Control (CDC) for FY2008. This federal funding would be utilized by 8 HHT Treatment Centers of Excellence to provide surveillance; create a multi-center clinical database to collect and analyze data; support epidemiological studies; provide and manage patient interventions; train health care professionals to prevent death and disability, improve outcome, reduce costs and increase the quality of life for people living with HHT. Additionally, a National Resource Center would be established to increase HHT education, outreach, and support. With the help of this funding and through aggressive management of the HHT at risk population, it is estimated that over $6.6 billion in preventable health care costs can be saved.