Quality-Adjusted Life-Years, or QALY, is a flawed scoring system economists use to determine cost-effectiveness of proposed medical treatments. Payers—including the Oregon Health Plan—use QALY scores to determine who is eligible for healthcare resources. The problem is the scores are calculated in inherently discriminatory ways.
QALY assigns unfair and offensive “quality of life” values to patients, intentionally devaluing treatments for older people, those with chronic illnesses or disabilities, and people of color. When calculating QALY, a year of “perfect health” is worth 1, while a year of “less than perfect” health—such as living with a disability or chronic illness—is worth less.
QALY is arbitrary, discriminatory and, quite frankly, gross. It’s also illegal. QALY violates both the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. These types of scores have no place influencing what conditions and treatments the Oregon Health Plan will cover.
Join our fight to ban QALY today by signing our petition to stay updated. The short legislative session goes by quickly, and we will need everyone to take fast action and loudly proclaim, “Our lives are worth as much as people without disabilities!” Thank you!
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