SB 1116 has passed the Senate! We need your help today!  The Senate voted 33-7 to pass SB 1116 as a mandated offer on February 3, 2009.  After compromizing with differing interests, SB 1116 is now a mandated offer, which means that if a company covers prosthetic care, they must cover it on par.  This will help to significantly close the gap and help amputees across Virginia to get the prosthetic care they need.  Now the legislation will be sent to the House for concurrence.  It is vital that we focus on getting letters and calls into delegates in the House and specifically, the members listed below.  The legislation will be heard by the House Commerce and Labor committee very soon!  Please, contact your local delagate, and the delegates on the Commerce and Labor committee listed below and encourage them to support SB 1116.

You are probably aware that an increasing number of people living with the loss or absence of a limb face daunting obstacles from third-party payers when trying to obtain the prosthetic care they need to enable them to return to an active, productive lifestyle. That is why the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) is working with activists across the country to introduce legislation requiring the coverage of prosthetic devices and components. 

Making Progress:  We now have 11 states that have passed prosthetic parity legislation.  In 2008, Indiana, Vermont and Louisiana joined Colorado, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, California, Massachusetts, Oregon, and New Jersey.

In Your State: The ACA is working with patients, practitioners and activists to start a campaign for prosthetic coverage in Virginia! We need your help!

YOU CAN HELP!

Join the campaign:  People like you are working to pass legislation in Virginia.  There are many ways you can help, through letters, phone calls and e-mails. To find out more about how you can get involved in the Virginia campaign, contact us at:

appll@amputee-coalition.org!  

Spread the Word: Help us spread the word by sending a letter to your representative, explaining the need for legislation to protect access to prosthetic coverage.  This will help educate your legislator and demonstrate public support.

·         Click here to find your representative.

·         We have included a sample letter below for your convenience.

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Representative/Senator ____,

Without legislation to ensure coverage, many people living with the loss or absence of a limb face discouraging obstacles when trying to obtain prosthetic care. That is why local patients, doctors and other community leaders are working with the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) in pushing for a bill for prosthetic coverage. 

Obviously, the biggest concern anyone has about passing a new mandate is cost. People fear that big jumps in the cost of insurance will reduce access to healthcare.  None of us want to see health insurance costs pushed beyond the reach of the average consumer. In actuality, the public sector would see savings because appropriate private insurance coverage prevents shifting costs to the public sector.  Our best financial data to support this comes from Colorado. They were the first state to pass prosthetic parity legislation in 1998. 

A Department of Health Care Policy & Financing report found that the maximum increase in premiums for prosthetic provision would be about 12 cents per month. That’s less than $1.50 per year. That’s not going to push anyone off the insurance rolls or put anyone out of business. It will, however, get people the care they need to get back to work and live independent, productive lives. 

Subsequent reports in Massachusetts and California also found that the cost to cover prosthetic devices would be minimal and would actually result in savings to the public and private sector. Both of these states passed bills requiring coverage in 2006.

Many hard-working people in Virginia are prevented from living full lives because they cannot get the care they need.  I hope you will support the bill for prosthetic coverage!

Sincerely,

Name, Address, Phone