My Tysabri Diary...
Important Alert!!! Medicare restrictions are scheduled to take effect November 15, 2006 regarding mobility devices. (see below) You can do something about it now. Beginning Monday, October 2 through November 8, members of Congress will be in their home districts for the electoral recess. While your legislators are back, call or visit their local offices!
Don't Let People with MS Lose Mobility - Stop the Medicare policy that restricts device coverage and restricts mobility.
People with multiple sclerosis and other disabilities will lose mobility under a new Medicare power mobility device policy. Coverage will be restricted to certain devices, limiting people with MS to lower-quality, poorer-performing mobility devices against their physicians' recommendations. People with MS need adequate mobility devices that meet their level of function and allow them the greatest possible quality of life.
To find your local Congressperson, go to: http://www.house.gov/writerep/ (you can write to him/her, but since time is of the essence, calling their local office would be better). Once you determine who your local Congressperson is, locate their website by going to: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml and their local telephone number should be listed. If it is not provided there, you can also find your legislators’ local phone numbers in the blue, government section of your local white pages. Or you can call their D.C. office for this information through the Capitol switchboard at: 1-800-828-0498.
You can also find your senator by clicking the link to the right entitled "Find Your Senator" and follow the same steps above for their local phone number.
Urge them to stop the implementation of Medicare’s device policy and to push for a new policy that meets the functional needs of people with MS. Stop this flawed Medicare policy that restricts coverage of power mobility devices and effectively restricts mobility. This policy will result in reverse rehabilitation for people with MS — limiting their health, functionality, recovery, and quality of life.
Medicare is inappropriately using an arbitrary “stand, pivot, and transfer” test — not the functional needs of the individual, as determined by medical experts — to decide the quality of mobility device that is covered.
The new policy also significantly reduces Medicare reimbursement to suppliers across all devices, so availability will be limited even if an individual does qualify.
Members of Congress need to push for a revised Medicare mobility device policy that is clearly defined, medically based, and considers the unique progressive and functional needs of the individual.
Give people with MS the mobility they need and deserve. Call or visit your Congressperson, senators and representatives today!
Industry and patient groups also are speaking out about this serious issue. Click here for more information.
Thank you for caring! :)
(((hugs)))
Love, Lauren
A very proud member of www.mspatientsforchoice.org
Important Alert!!! Medicare restrictions are scheduled to take effect November 15, 2006 regarding mobility devices. (see below) You can do something about it now. Beginning Monday, October 2 through November 8, members of Congress will be in their home districts for the electoral recess. While your legislators are back, call or visit their local offices!
Don't Let People with MS Lose Mobility - Stop the Medicare policy that restricts device coverage and restricts mobility.
People with multiple sclerosis and other disabilities will lose mobility under a new Medicare power mobility device policy. Coverage will be restricted to certain devices, limiting people with MS to lower-quality, poorer-performing mobility devices against their physicians' recommendations. People with MS need adequate mobility devices that meet their level of function and allow them the greatest possible quality of life.
To find your local Congressperson, go to: http://www.house.gov/writerep/ (you can write to him/her, but since time is of the essence, calling their local office would be better). Once you determine who your local Congressperson is, locate their website by going to: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml and their local telephone number should be listed. If it is not provided there, you can also find your legislators’ local phone numbers in the blue, government section of your local white pages. Or you can call their D.C. office for this information through the Capitol switchboard at: 1-800-828-0498.
You can also find your senator by clicking the link to the right entitled "Find Your Senator" and follow the same steps above for their local phone number.
Urge them to stop the implementation of Medicare’s device policy and to push for a new policy that meets the functional needs of people with MS. Stop this flawed Medicare policy that restricts coverage of power mobility devices and effectively restricts mobility. This policy will result in reverse rehabilitation for people with MS — limiting their health, functionality, recovery, and quality of life.
Medicare is inappropriately using an arbitrary “stand, pivot, and transfer” test — not the functional needs of the individual, as determined by medical experts — to decide the quality of mobility device that is covered.
The new policy also significantly reduces Medicare reimbursement to suppliers across all devices, so availability will be limited even if an individual does qualify.
Members of Congress need to push for a revised Medicare mobility device policy that is clearly defined, medically based, and considers the unique progressive and functional needs of the individual.
Give people with MS the mobility they need and deserve. Call or visit your Congressperson, senators and representatives today!
Industry and patient groups also are speaking out about this serious issue. Click here for more information.
Thank you for caring! :)
(((hugs)))
Love, Lauren
A very proud member of www.mspatientsforchoice.org
posted by Lauren @ 11:51 AM
1 Comments:
At 6:15 PM,
Charles-A. Rovira said…
Hello Lauren,
thanks for the info.
We're both quite concerned about the Medicare problem. (I've just had something about it on my podcast [at http://www.MSBPodcast.com ] and if some of it sounds quite familiar, it should.
I had your page open as I was typing up my script.
Thank you.
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