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Press Release: Prevent Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms 
SAAAVE Bill Becomes Law – Provides Senior Health Benefit
Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is the only new preventive benefit included in the Deficit Reduction Act, and will save thousands of lives.
CHICAGO (February 10, 2006)—
President Bush signed S.1932, Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, also known as Budget Reconciliation, into law on Feb. 8, 2006. It contains the Screening Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Very Efficiently (SAAAVE) Act, a provision that will implement aortic aneurysm screening as a Medicare benefit. SAAAVE provides for one-time AAA screening at the Welcome to Medicare physical for male-ever smokers and men and women with a family history of AAA beginning
Jan. 1, 2007.
“The members of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) are extremely pleased that Congress and President Bush recognize AAA screening is an important measure that will save thousands of American lives each year,” said Robert Zwolak, MD, vascular surgeon, and member of the SVS board of directors. “Our members worked diligently on SAAAVE. These vascular surgeons concentrate their practices on the prevention and cure of vascular disease, and they know the effectiveness of screening in saving lives.” Free vascular screenings are offered throughout the country by the SVS foundation, the American Vascular Association.
AAA is an enlargement or “bulge” that develops in a weakened area within the largest
artery in the abdomen. The pressure generated by each heartbeat pushes against the weakened
aortic wall, causing the aneurysm to enlarge. If the AAA remains undetected, the aortic wall continues to weaken, and the aneurysm continues to grow. Eventually, the aneurysm becomes so large, and its wall so weak, that rupture occurs. When this happens there is massive internal bleeding, a situation that is usually fatal. The only way to break this cycle is to find the AAA before it ruptures. Ultrasound screening is a safe and accurate means to accomplish this.
SVS is the leader of the National Aneurysm Alliance (NAA), the group that brought this urgent need to the attention of Congress. This recognition will position vascular health at the forefront of public awareness. NAA is a coalition of medical professional organizations, foundations, patient advocates and medical technology manufacturers dedicated to reducing the number of Americans who die needlessly each year from ruptured aortic aneurysms and other vascular diseases.
To learn more about vascular health and where free vascular screenings for seniors are being conducted visit the SVS Website at www.vascularweb.org.
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