2022 Was Incredibly Successful For Heart And Stroke Advocacy

Shortly before the new year, Congress passed a year long spending bill known as an “omnibus.” The omnibus is important to You’re the Cure advocates because it included funding (wins!) for several of our federal priorities! While we are disappointed that Congress failed to act on child nutrition, there is still much for YTC advocates to celebrate!

Below you will find a few key highlights from the recently passed omnibus. It is important to note that without the consistent drumbeat of support from YTC advocates, these policies would likely not have been included. You all deserve a round of applause or a pat on the back because thanks to you, 2022 was an incredibly successful year for heart and stroke advocacy!

Omnibus Wins:

• CAROL Act: Named in honor of Congressman Andy Barr’s late wife, the CAROL Act unlocks critical funding for life-saving research into valvular heart disease.
• CARES Registry Funding: Thanks in large part to YTC’s spring-time effort connecting dozens of cardiac arrest survivors and health care providers with key House and Senate offices, the omnibus included $5million in funding for the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES). This money will help new states set up and enroll in the CARES registry and will fund improvements to existing state and local systems. This is a great win, but the work is not done until the CARES registry is fully funded and covers the entire country. Be on the lookout in spring of 2023 for ways to help!
• Telehealth Flexibilities Extended: The omnibus included language to extend pandemic flexibilities that have allowed millions of patients to benefit from telehealth services through December 2024. Without Congressional action, people could have lost access to telehealth services. Heart and Stroke advocates were particularly influential on this issue. In the 10 working days before the end of the year, Heart and Stroke advocates made more than 2,000 calls to key House and Senate offices and that final push helped get this across the finish line! These flexibilities will continue to benefit countless patients across the country, but our work is not done until they are made permanent.
• NIH and CDC Funding Increases: The omnibus included funding increases for life-saving medical research conducted by the National Institutes of Health and critical prevention programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention!
• Legacy IRA Act: This bipartisan bill encourages charitable giving to help nonprofits continue their missions across the country by enabling seniors to make tax free contributions through their individual retirement accounts. This bill was critically important to nonprofits across the country who faced hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic and will have long lasting benefits!