The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes $1.1 billion for comparative effectiveness research in healthcare. The law created the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research to coordinate such research across the federal government. The council will make recommendations for the $400 million allocated to the office of the HHS secretary for such research. In addition to the HHS secretary's allocation, $400 million is included for the National Institutes of Health and $300 million for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. According to HHS, these funds are intended to support research assessing the comparative effectiveness of healthcare treatments and strategies through efforts that: conduct, support or synthesize research that compares the clinical outcomes and effectiveness, and appropriateness of items, services and procedures that are used to prevent, diagnose, or treat diseases, disorders and other health conditions. It also is to encourage the development and use of clinical registries, clinical data networks, and other forms of electronic health data that can be used to generate or obtain outcomes data. Critics of comparative effectiveness research contend that improper use of the research and data will lead to rationing of healthcare services.

Tournament Results:

• Round 1: Beat AHERF bankruptcy
• Round 2: Beat The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's "meaningful use" IT subsidy program
• Round 3: Lost To Release of the Institute of Medicine's "To Err is Human" report