New Federal Funding Package Includes Money to Benefit Arthritis Patients

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 25, 2024) — On Friday, after months of negotiations, Congress passed and President Biden signed a legislative funding package for federal fiscal year 2024 spending. The Arthritis Foundation is pleased to share that the package includes several key funding measures for patients living with arthritis.
 

• Notably, for the first time ever — $10 million for the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) to support arthritis research among military service members. This is a significant win as one in three military and veteran service members live with doctor-diagnosed arthritis, making it the second leading cause of medical discharge from the military. This stand-alone arthritis research program will help deepen our understanding of and provide support for those who have served our nation in the military living with arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation has championed this program for nearly 10 years as a top priority to receive federal funding!
• $10 million for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program (PSLRP) for the second time! This program provides qualifying health professionals with support in exchange for practicing in an underserved area for at least two years. This targeted financial support addresses the significant medical school debt hindering training in pediatric subspecialties and seeks to enhance patient access to critically needed pediatric subspecialists, including rheumatologists.
• $11 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Arthritis Program — the only federal program solely dedicated to arthritis. The program provides tools to help people manage arthritis and improve their health and well-being, helps states to implement self-management education and physical activity programs, and invests heavily in data, intervention, and prevention research to better understand arthritis.
• $685 million for the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), which aims to support research into the causes, treatment and prevention of arthritis and other related conditions that impact many patients. The study and training provided seeks to improve treatment options and share knowledge about these conditions.

 
This funding cycle is a major win for the nearly 60 million people living with arthritis in the U.S. Advocates with the Arthritis Foundation have successfully advocated and shared their stories with their elected officials highlighting the critical need for federal funding for research, awareness and prevention efforts nationwide. We also want to extend our thanks to the members of Congressional Arthritis Caucus who championed the work on Capitol Hill.
 
Learn more about how the Arthritis Foundation is leading the way in patient advocacy for the nearly 60 million people living with arthritis or get involved with us at arthritis.org/advocate.
 
We encourage you to share your story with us! Your voice is a powerful agent for change and you are the expert of your experience.