Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) sent a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to express support for ongoing discussions between CMS and the Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) community regarding reimbursement for services provided.  MSUs are ambulances with staff that have the expertise to diagnose and the resources to treat patients having strokes before arriving at a hospital.  Currently, there are 21 cities in the United States, including Houston, with active MSUs providing life-saving care in their communities.

“Mobile Stroke Units (MSUs) play a crucial role in quickly diagnosing and treating stroke patients considerably faster than patients arriving at an emergency department by regular ambulance or by other means of transportation, providing the ability to improve outcomes and survival rates significantly,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher.  “MSUs are critical tools in emergency response and provide an innovative approach for the medical community to care for patients and save lives.  I will continue to work to create opportunities and lift barriers to make life-saving resources and treatments more accessible to people across our country.” 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 795,000 people in the U.S. suffer from a stroke every year, and strokes are a leading cause of serious long-term disability.  The CDC also states that receiving emergency services within the first three hours of a stroke is critical to decreasing the likelihood of severe disability. 

Last week, Congresswoman Fletcher voted for the Funding for the People Act, a bipartisan government funding bill that funds essential programs, and provides $900,000 for the City of Houston Health Department’s MSU at Congresswoman Fletcher’s request.  President Biden signed the bill into law on Tuesday. 

Full text of the letter can be found here.