Read more about an issue by clicking on a link below. For Advocacy issues (where we suggest you take action with your elected officials) you can follow the instructions on the screen to easily communicate with your elected officials.
Oppose McCain Amendment to Eliminate Funding for Research
The Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation has received word that Senator John McCain (R-AZ) may be offering an amendment, as early as next week, to eliminate all fiscal year 2011 funding for (more)
Help Get Cosponsors for Bone Marrow Failure Legislation
On February 10, 2011, Representative Doris O. Matsui (D-CA) formally introduced the “Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research and Treatment Act” (H.R. 640)... (more)
Wisconsin:
Johnson, Ron - (R - WI) Class III
2 RUSSELL COURTYARD WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5323
Web Form: ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact
Kohl, Herb - (D - WI) Class I
330 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5653
Web Form: kohl.senate.gov/contact.cfm
On February 10, 2011, Representative Doris O. Matsui (D-CA) formally introduced the “Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research and Treatment Act” (H.R. 640). This legislation would bring together the resources of several federal agencies to advance our understanding of, and treatments for aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and ParoPNH. We need your support now!
Suggested letter:
I am writing to ask you to cosponsor the "Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research and Treatment Act" (H.R. 640), introduced by Representative Doris Matsui (D-CA) on February 10, 2011. We need your support. As a constituent coping with bone marrow failure disease, I ask that you support this new comprehensive approach to combating these devastating diseases.
Every year approximately 20,000 to 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), and other acquired bone marrow failure diseases.
The Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research and Treatment Act would leverage the expertise and resources of several agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as well as patient advocacy organizations, in a new comprehensive approach to combat bone marrow failure diseases. H.R. 640 increases the Federal Government's commitment to researching and treating aplastic anemia, MDS, PNH, and other acquired bone marrow failure diseases. The legislation directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to combat these diseases through a comprehensive strategy that includes creation of a national bone marrow failure disease registry so that researchers can combine their data in one place, yielding more effective research designs and better results and pilot studies through the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to determine which environmental factors cause people to acquire bone marrow failure diseases.
Other highlights include minority-focused programs to make information on treatment options and clinical trials available to minority communities, particularly Hispanic and Asian American communities and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality grants to help improve diagnostic practices and quality of care for patients with bone marrow failure diseases.
Last year, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a similar but modified version of the bill.
Congresswoman Matsui will be sending you a Dear Colleague letter in the coming weeks. Please consider becoming a cosponsor of this important legislation and contact Joel Bailey, Senior Legislative Assistant, in the office of Representative Matsui at joel.bailey@mail.house.gov or at (202) 225-7163.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Showing posts with label Insurance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Insurance. Show all posts
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Buffalo Beast
Walker talks offline to assumed supporter, BuffaloBeast reports it. Unfortunately, pinging that site shows that it was taken offline.
The conversation however is available at the daily mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1359918/Wisconsin-Governor-Scott-Walker-duped-newspaper-editor-posing-billionaire-backer.html.
The conversation however is available at the daily mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1359918/Wisconsin-Governor-Scott-Walker-duped-newspaper-editor-posing-billionaire-backer.html.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Walker's Medical Assistance Bill May Affect Helpless
Neatly tucked away in the confines of obscure language is the Medical Assistance reform portion of Walker's bill that if read closedly reveals the means by which he provides the path to elimination of - or at the very least extreme cut-back's to - the Medical Assistance program in Wisconsin, known as Badger Care.
While an estimated 70,000 people voice their opinions about being forced into a rule-aligned bargaining agreement with the state of Wisconsin, who is speaking for the victims of diseases, foreign wars, mental disabilities, and poverty due to loss of jobs or injury?
Nobody.
That is sad.
While the Associated Press continuously erroneously reports the situation in Wisconsin (NOTE: all of our schools are in session today, with the exception of those which were snowed-under and delayed 2 hours), and there weren't 200,000 in Madison's capital but rather about 70,000 in and outside of the grounds, protesting their rights to collective bargaining, nobody is speaking out about the helpless people of our society. What is wrong with this picture?
Arizona sentenced a man to death with a denial of a liver transplant after a matched donor had been found because the state couldn't afford it.
What is wrong with this picture?
Put yourself in his shoes. No, put yourself IN his shoes. Do you envision it yet? Do you see that your life will end because you lost your job, nearly lost your home but for hard work and good financial planning you did before you got sick, and now without insurance must tell your little girl that you will leave her before the year ends. Do you see it? Do you feel it?
What are you doing about it?
Read Walker's Bill.
While an estimated 70,000 people voice their opinions about being forced into a rule-aligned bargaining agreement with the state of Wisconsin, who is speaking for the victims of diseases, foreign wars, mental disabilities, and poverty due to loss of jobs or injury?
Nobody.
That is sad.
While the Associated Press continuously erroneously reports the situation in Wisconsin (NOTE: all of our schools are in session today, with the exception of those which were snowed-under and delayed 2 hours), and there weren't 200,000 in Madison's capital but rather about 70,000 in and outside of the grounds, protesting their rights to collective bargaining, nobody is speaking out about the helpless people of our society. What is wrong with this picture?
Arizona sentenced a man to death with a denial of a liver transplant after a matched donor had been found because the state couldn't afford it.
What is wrong with this picture?
Put yourself in his shoes. No, put yourself IN his shoes. Do you envision it yet? Do you see that your life will end because you lost your job, nearly lost your home but for hard work and good financial planning you did before you got sick, and now without insurance must tell your little girl that you will leave her before the year ends. Do you see it? Do you feel it?
What are you doing about it?
Read Walker's Bill.
Walker's Medical Assistance Reform Act
Walker's bill on Medical Assistance
Although the language is illusive, the outcome is this: current law requires changes to Badger Care to be manifested from the Federal Government and administered locally. The new bill removes Federal law governance and places the administration and law making into one body under the state Governor. This change has the distinct possibility of extensively reducing benefits to Badger Care insured persons or revoking them. The bill's MA provisions are quoted verbatim below.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
Although the language is illusive, the outcome is this: current law requires changes to Badger Care to be manifested from the Federal Government and administered locally. The new bill removes Federal law governance and places the administration and law making into one body under the state Governor. This change has the distinct possibility of extensively reducing benefits to Badger Care insured persons or revoking them. The bill's MA provisions are quoted verbatim below.
It is one thing to make state employees pay for benefits that the private sector can only dream about (pensions are all but history in the private sector) and the insurance benefits long enjoyed by state employees would make you drule, but it is quite another thing to play God.
In Arizona, a family man in need of a liver transplant to survive was denied the operation after a matched donor had been found. He will die before the end of this years. At some point while the legislature that sentenced him to death is driving around in his mercedes benz or playing with his children on his back lawn, the family man that was denied a transplant will explain to his elementary-aged daughter that he will die this year. Congratulations, Arizona, we didn't know God had entered your legislature. Congratulations, Wisconsin, you are not far behind.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
Under current law, DHS administers the Medical Assistance (MA) program, which is a joint federal and state program that provides health services to individuals who have limited resources. Some services are provided through programs that operate under a waiver of federal laws related to medical assistance (MA waiver programs).
This bill requires DHS to:
- study potential changes to the MA state plan and
- study potential changes to waivers of federal law relating to: medical assistance for certain purposes, including increasing the cost effectiveness and efficiency of care for the MA program and MA waiver programs and improving the health status of individuals who receive benefits under the MA program or an MA waiver program.
- If DHS determines, as a result of the study, that revision of existing statutes or rules would be necessary to advance any of the purposes for which the study was conducted, DHS may promulgate rules to implement certain changes, including making certain requirements, modifying benefits, revising provider reimbursement models, developing standards and methodologies for eligibility, and reducing income levels for purposes of determining eligibility.
- Before promulgating a rule, DHS must submit the proposed rule and any plan developed as a result of the study to JCF for review.
- DHS must submit an amendment to the state MA plan or request a waiver of federal laws related to medical assistance, if necessary, to the extent necessary to implement any proposal.
- If the federal Department of Health and Human Services does not allow the amendment or does not grant the waiver, DHS may not put the rule into effect or implement the proposal.
- To reduce the eligibility income levels to a certain amount, DHS must request a waiver from the secretary of the federal Department of Health and Human Services to permit DHS to have in effect eligibility standards, methodologies, and procedures that are more restrictive than those in place on March 23, 2010.
- If DHS does not receive approval for the waiver, DHS must reduce the eligibility income levels for MA programs and MA waiver programs to 133 percent of the federal poverty line for adults who are not pregnant and not disabled, as allowed under federal law.
- DHS may promulgate the rules as emergency rules.
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
Reflecting the receipt of emergency contingency funds under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program, this bill increases by $37,000,000 the amount of TANF moneys allocated for the earned income tax credit.Read the bill here (http://legis.wisconsin.gov/JR1SB-11.pdf)
Federal Poverty Levels (FPL)
The poverty income levels are used to determine enrollment for BadgerCare Plus. Those may be found at access.wi.gov or here.Insurance Saves Lives
As Aplastic Anemia progresses to Severe Aplastic Anemia and then to Very Severe Aplastic Anemia, the patient will ultimately become 'disabled' although only for a period of time in the patient's lifetime.
As the patient's disease progresses, s/he will ultimately become unable to work due to the extreme exhaustion, very high susceptibility to infection, inability to concentrate and remember, and of course, anxiety. The typical patient will experience anxiousness, depression, and changes in blood pressure.
The average cost of a single bone marrow transplant is in excess of $150,000.00, and depending upon the treatments necessary before, during and after the transplant, often rise to the $200,000.00 to $300,000.00 ranges.
Medications necessary before, during and after the treatment are extensive. Typical costs range from $10,000.00 to $50,000.00.
A bone marrow transplant patient remains hospitalized in special facilities to protect their lives during the transplant when their immune systems are completely killed off and for approximately 20-30 days post transplant.
Patients attend clinic and receive blood draws regularly: usually two to three times per week immediately upon release from the hospital and for several months thereafter. Eventually, clinic appointments can be reduced to once to twice per week, and then eventually to once every other week, then monthly, then every three months, then every six months until they reach annual appointments at the four or five year mark.
From the time of release from the hospital until the patient is considered 'cured' of this terrible disease, the patient is on medication on a decreasing schedule. Some of those medications are as inexpensive as $1.00 each; most cost much more.
When a person receives a bone marrow transplant, they are considered temporarily disabled for Social Security purposes on the day of the transplant. They cannot return to work until released by their medical team. That release is subsequent to removal from immunosuppressant drugs.
Complications can increase costs, such as infections or development of Graph-versus-host disease.
Insurance, medical assistance programs, medical research, drug research, stem cell research and our wonderfully brilliant doctors save lives.
As the patient's disease progresses, s/he will ultimately become unable to work due to the extreme exhaustion, very high susceptibility to infection, inability to concentrate and remember, and of course, anxiety. The typical patient will experience anxiousness, depression, and changes in blood pressure.
The average cost of a single bone marrow transplant is in excess of $150,000.00, and depending upon the treatments necessary before, during and after the transplant, often rise to the $200,000.00 to $300,000.00 ranges.
Medications necessary before, during and after the treatment are extensive. Typical costs range from $10,000.00 to $50,000.00.
A bone marrow transplant patient remains hospitalized in special facilities to protect their lives during the transplant when their immune systems are completely killed off and for approximately 20-30 days post transplant.
Patients attend clinic and receive blood draws regularly: usually two to three times per week immediately upon release from the hospital and for several months thereafter. Eventually, clinic appointments can be reduced to once to twice per week, and then eventually to once every other week, then monthly, then every three months, then every six months until they reach annual appointments at the four or five year mark.
From the time of release from the hospital until the patient is considered 'cured' of this terrible disease, the patient is on medication on a decreasing schedule. Some of those medications are as inexpensive as $1.00 each; most cost much more.
When a person receives a bone marrow transplant, they are considered temporarily disabled for Social Security purposes on the day of the transplant. They cannot return to work until released by their medical team. That release is subsequent to removal from immunosuppressant drugs.
Complications can increase costs, such as infections or development of Graph-versus-host disease.
Insurance, medical assistance programs, medical research, drug research, stem cell research and our wonderfully brilliant doctors save lives.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Federal Poverty Income Levels - Wisconsin 2011
Federal Poverty Levels (FPL)
The following income levels are
used to determine enrollment for BadgerCare Plus. To see if you may be
able to enroll, go to access.wi.gov
and apply today.
Effective February 1, 2011
| Family size | 100% Monthly Income | 150% Monthly income | 200% Monthly income | 300% Monthly income |
| 1 | $ 907.50 | $1,361.25 | $1,815.00 | $2,722.50 |
| 2 | $1,225.83 | $1,838.75 | $2,451.67 | $3,677.50 |
| 3 | $1,544.17 | $2,316.25 | $3,088.33 | $4,632.50 |
| 4 | $1,862.50 | $2,793.75 | $3,725.00 | $5,587.50 |
| 5 | $2,180.83 | $3,271.25 | $4,361.67 | $6,542.50 |
| 6 | $2,499.17 | $3,748.75 | $4,998.33 | $7,497.50 |
| 7 | $2,817.50 | $4,226.25 | $5,635.00 | $8,452.50 |
| 8 | $3,135.83 | $4,703.72 | $6,271.67 | $9,407.50 |
For each additional person, add: | ||||
| $318.33 | $477.50 | $636.67 | $955 | |
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