Arms and legs are not luxury items and yet every month we hear from people who are having trouble getting the prosthetic care they need due to unfair, short sighted insurance regulations.   The ACA is working hard along with our partners and activists to enact laws designed to provide fair and consistent standards of prosthetic and orthotic coverage. 

State Parity Update

Governor Jodi Rell recently vetoed House Bill 5021, which included prosthetic parity language.  We are working to override the governor’s veto.  Click here to take action to help push through this important legislation. 

·         AR, IA, MD, VA, TX, MO and CT all passed bills in 2009.

·         CO, ME, NH, RI, CA, MA, OR, NJ, IN, VT and LA have enacted parity laws.

·         PA, WI, IL, MI, NY, NC, AL, MN, NE, ND, UT, AZ, OH, ID, GA, KS, KY, TN and WA are looking to advance legislation in 2010.

NEXT STEPS:

• We are holding organizing meetings and calls throughout the summer to ramp up for the 2010 session. 
• We are also developing an updated toolkit for the state campaign committees.

For more information or to get involved in our upcoming organizing meetings, contact Dan Ignaszewski at 202/742-1885 or state@amputee-coalition.org.   

Federal Parity Update

• The Prosthetic & Custom Orthotic Act of 2009 (H.R.2575) was introduced in the House on May 21, 2009.
• We have reached out to the health aides in the offices of past co-sponsors to push for support.
• The ACA has met with numerous offices to discuss co-sponsorship of the parity bill. 
• We are continuing to work with our partners to coordinate with Senator Harkin and Senator Snowe’s offices to get the bill introduced in the Senate.

NEXT STEPS:

• Continue to push for support at the district level through meetings and calls.  Click here to learn more and get involved in our in-district meeting program. 
• Work with the sponsors to finalize the senate draft and get it re-introduced.

 For more information or to get involved in our upcoming organizing meetings, contact Sheila Van Pay at 202/742-1885 or federal@amputee-coalition.org. 

The ACA understands that healthcare reform presents an enormous challenge. We feel that any healthcare reform proposal that truly gets at improving health systems and enhancing access must address the healthcare needs of people with limb loss.

Healthcare Reform

·        We have submitted comments to leadership and committee chairs throughout the drafting and mark up process.

·        A letter went out from a coalition of disability groups on Tuesday, June 30th.

·        The ACA is continuing to hold meetings with health aides from targeted committees – House Education & Labor, Ways & Means and Energy & Commerce.

·         An e-mail communication was sent to the health care aides from Ways & Means, Energy & Commerce, Education & Labor, Senate HELP and Senate Finance.

·         Calls were made to the targeted offices’ health aides.   

·         In-district meetings were held by ACA activists during the July 4^th recess.

·         A hill drop was done to all health aides on July 2^nd (one pager attached).

·         An alert went out to all ACA action network members on July 1^st.  

·         The ACA participated in national call-in days on July 7^th & 8^th.

NEXT STEPS:

• ACA meetings on the hill continue during the week of July 13^th.
• Another hill drop is being conducted on July 9^th (see attached one pager).

For more information or to get involved in our healthcare reform efforts, contact Morgan Sheets at 202/302-4373 or msheets@amputee-coalition.org.

The ACA is working to increase visibility about limb loss. One of our initiatives over the next five years is to gain a designated awareness month. We believe such a designation will allow us to focus key activities that raise awareness about living with limb loss and about limb loss prevention.

Awareness

Congressman John Duncan (R-TN) has agreed to introduce a bill to name April National Limb Loss Awareness Month. We will announce the bill introduction when it happens.