[Missouri-l] [leadership] ALERT: Follow up to National Health Policy Teleseminar (fwd)

[peter altschul]

 ---- Original Message ------
From: Christopher Gray <chris at bayareadigital.us
Subject: [leadership] ALERT: Follow up to National Health Policy 
Teleseminar (fwd)
Date sent: Wed, 20 May 2009 15:55:14 -0700 (Pacific Daylight 
Time)

Hello:

THis may have already been forwarded to you, but it's important 
enough that in
case it wasn't, here it is again.  This more formal discussion by 
AFB staff will
definitely supplement and perhaps more fully amplify the points I 
tried to make
on Monday.

Please send your comments this week.

Thanks.

Chris

Email:  chris at bayareadigital.us

Visit my blog at http://ChristopherGray.squarespace.com

Visit me on Facebook by linking to 
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1096118444


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 09:52:15 -0600
From: Barbara Jackson LeMoine <blemoine at afb.net
To: Barbara Jackson LeMoine <blemoine at afb.net
Subject: ALERT: Follow up to National Health Policy Teleseminar




We encourage all recipients of this message to share this 
announcement
widely with your networks.



Thank you to all who participated in yesterday's teleseminar 
co-hosted
by the American Foundation for the Blind and the VisionServe 
Alliance
entitled "National Health Policy & Living with Vision 
Loss--Building a
Consensus, Bringing About Change." It was truly an exceptional
opportunity for interactive discussion concerning the particulars 
of a
health policy agenda to promote in Washington, D.C.  and around 
the
country.  Your participation was greatly appreciated.  The 
message below
highlights several action items for your immediate attention that 
were
discussed during the teleseminar.  For all those who registered 
but were
unable to join the teleseminar, we ask you to please take a look 
at the
high priority alert message below as well.



ALERT Comments to Senate Needed Now on Health Care Policy Options 
for
People with Vision Loss!



For further information, contact:

Mark Richert

202-822-0833

mrichert at afb.net



The Senate Committee on Finance has issued three reports 
detailing
options that are being actively considered with respect to health 
care
policy.  The reports can be found online at
http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/legislation.htm.  The second 
of the
three reports discusses the array of coverage options that could 
be part
of any package of health care system reform.  Noticeably absent 
from that
discussion, among other things, is any meaningful consideration 
of the
need for prosthetics and durable medical equipment such as low 
vision
devices or other assistive technology.  Similarly, vision 
rehabilitation
services reimbursement is not on the radar screen.



The Senate Finance Committee is providing the public an 
opportunity to
comment on their health policy reports, and they must hear from 
our
community.



Comment is to be provided to the Senate Finance Committee via 
email
health_reform at finance-dem.senate.gov by attaching a PDF or MS 
Word file
containing your comments.  Advocates are urged to write a brief 
letter or
statement using either of these document formats to express 
reactions to
the current direction of the health policy debate.  Your comments 
can be
as short or as lengthy as you wish.  Wherever possible and 
appropriate,
comments should be made using organizational electronic 
letterhead or
otherwise clearly identify the name and address of the author.  
Comments
on the health coverage options report are due on or before this 
Friday,
May 22.  Please consider CCing a copy of your comments to Barbara 
LeMoine
(blemoine at afb.net).



In addition to any other issues of particular interest or 
concern,
advocates are strongly encouraged to comment on the following 
issues as
follows--



Coverage for Devices: We are deeply disappointed that the Senate 
Finance
Committee coverage options discussion fails to include meaningful
treatment of the critical role of prosthetics and durable medical
equipment such as low vision devices and other assistive 
technology.  For
individuals with vision loss, these devices and technologies are 
vital
to restore functioning and to live safe, healthy and independent 
lives.
As health reform legislation is developed, public and private 
insurance
coverage for prosthetics and durable medical equipment such as 
low
vision devices and other assistive technology must be accounted 
for.



Vision Rehabilitation: As health reform legislation moves 
forward,
payment for the services provided by qualified vision 
rehabilitation
professionals must be addressed.  Currently, the team of 
providers
offering these services to individuals with vision loss is 
incomplete
because orientation and mobility specialists, vision 
rehabilitation
therapists, and low vision therapists are not recognized under 
current
law as providers whose services are reimbursable in the same way 
as are
other professional disciplines.



Health Disparities: The Finance Committee is to be commended for
recommending that disability should be included among the 
categories to
be considered when developing research and policy evaluating and
addressing disparities in receipt of health care, healthy living, 
risk
factors, and other areas impacting the health and well being of 
all
Americans.  As health reform legislation moves forward, research
evaluating health disparities must be designed to account for the 
needs
of all individuals with disabilities.  Such research must not
inappropriately comingle individuals with vision loss with other
disability categories to ensure that disparities specifically
experienced by people with vision loss are clearly identified and
addressed.



Thank you for your advocacy.

=======================================
Barbara Jackson LeMoine
Policy Analyst
American Foundation for the Blind
Public Policy Center
1660 L Street, N.W., Suite 513
Washington, DC 20036
202-822-0831
E-mail: blemoine at afb.net <mailto:blemoine at afb.net
Web: http://www.afb.org/gov.asp
Expanding possibilities for people with vision lossTM
=======================================