Health Technology Assessments - Overview

Health technology assessments by states and the Federal government can be useful tools to inform coverage and access to therapies. However, to achieve this goal and fairly represent the value of therapies, they must meet certain fundamental criteria.

NTAC is advocating to ensure that state-based health technology assessment programs include a process that is fully open and transparent to stakeholders; that fairly evaluates published evidence and guidelines; and that includes clinical experts in each therapy under review.

Download the multi-organization position statement here:

Call to Action - Improving the Washington State Health Technology Assesment Program

NTAC and its coalition partners engaged in a major legislative initiative to amend and improve the State of Washington's Health Technology Assessment program.  This program, launched in 2007, is the first state agency of its kind with the authority to conduct health technology reviews and render coverage and non-coverage decisions that impact every state-funded health program (i.e., worker's compensation, state employees and Medicaid).

In 2008, the HTA program voted "no" on coverage of intrathcal drug delivery, eliminating patient access for all state-funded healthcare programs! Spinal cord stimulation is currentlyunder review for a planned August 20 hearing by the Health Technology Clinical Committee. We are working to ensure that the significant process flaws that took place for intrathecal drug delivery are not repeated for spinal cord stimulation.

Download the joint position statement, Reforming Washington State's Health Technology Assessment Program, here.

Download NTAC's February 2010 Comments