ACA Advocacy - In Your State

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Tennessee

ACA Advocacy Staff

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

State Prosthetic Parity Campaign: Tennessee has introduced four bills relating to prosthetic parity in 2009! HB0354 and SB0526 are drafted to require TennCare to provide prosthetic coverage, and HB 1359 and SB1700 are drafted to require other insurance companies that are regulated in the state to provide prosthetic coverage. House bill 0354 has been assigned to the Public Health and Family Assistance of HHR Committee, and House bill 1359 has been assigned to the Industrial Impact of COM Committee. Senate bill 0526 is awaiting assignment to a committee and Senate bill 1700 has been assigned to the Commerce, Labor and Agriculture Committee.

We would like to thank Representatives Hackworth and Niceley and Senators McNally and Overybey for sponsoring these important bills on behalf of amputees throughout the state of Tennessee.

If you would like to find out how you can help, contact us at state@amputee-coalition.org or 202/742-1885. You can also reach out to the local campaign committee (Mike Fillauer, mfillauer@fillauer.com).

The Tennessee bill was originally introduced in 2007. House Bill 2145 was referred to the Commerce Committee. Senate Bill 2147 was referred to the Senate Commerce, Labor & Agriculture Committee. Unfortunately, no action was taken. Throughout this year we have been working with local leaders to build support in order to move this legislation during the 2009 session.

Benefit Concert: Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn was the headlining act at a benefit concert for the Amputee Coalition of America and the Mending Limbs Organization on Sunday, October 12th in Franklin, Tennessee. In addition to live performances by Kix Brooks, Jennifer Hanson, Baillie and the Boys, Nashville Star contestant Joshua Stevens, Sutton Parks, Todd Sansom and local amputee and parity activist, Michelle Prichard.

Proceeds from the October 12 benefit concert will help to support the ACA's initiatives to pass state and federal legislation requiring health insurers to provide meaningful coverage for prosthetic care. Click here to see coverage on Nashville's channel 5. Click here to read the ACA's press release.

Other Advocacy Issues: While parity is a big priority for the ACA’s advocacy team, we have recently been involved in a number of issues advocating on behalf of people with limb loss and limb difference. Is there a bill or issue in your state that we need to know about? Contact us at state@amputee-coalition.org.

The ACA is also working hard to pass federal parity legislation in order to extend protections for health plans regulated by Congress (about half of all policies). Get informed by visiting our federal parity page.

Help keep up the fight for parity and protect the health and rights of amputees throughout the country! Whether you can give $5, $50 or $500 we need your financial support!! Write a check to the “Amputee Coalition of America” and send it to: ACA, 300 East Hill Ave, Suite 205, Knoxville, TN, 37915 or make a donation online on our secure marketplace at: www.amputee-coalition.org/advocacy/donation.

We are ready to do everything we can to ensure access to care throughout the country....especially in the ACA's home state of Tennessee!

National Advocacy Director, Morgan Sheets spoke to a group of activists at an organizing meeting in Memphis, TN in July of 2006. This was part of a series of meetings throughout TN to help kick off the campaign.

For more information contact the Advocacy Department

*This page is funded by the ACA and not supported with CDC grant funding. Views expressed in the contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the ACA.