CEPAC coming to CT December 6th

The New England Comparative Effectiveness Public Advisory Council (CEPAC) will hold our next meeting here in CT -- December 6th from 10am to 4pm at the Legislative Office Building. Too many new (and expensive) treatments and technologies are adopted and gain wide use before a careful analysis of their effectiveness in treating the condition and/or cost effectiveness compared to other options. CEPAC’s mission is to produce actionable information to aid regional policymakers in the medical policy decision-making process. CEPAC includes researchers, clinicians and patient advocates from all New England states who, twice a year, drill down into the research around treatment options for a condition, evaluate effectiveness and costs, and vote on whether there is sufficient evidence to recommend each treatment’s use. Both Medicare and Anthem have cited previous CEPAC votes in deciding which treatments to fund. June’s meeting in New Hampshire focused on treatments for ADHD. December’s meeting will focus on treatments for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults. Studies estimate that between 10 and 20 percent of middle-age and older adults suffer from OSA and the rate is rising as obesity rates rise. The meeting is open to the public and the public is invited to testify and/or submit written testimony.