HELP Fix IVIG Access & Reimbursement

Vietnam War through O'Brien's The Things They Carried
At the bottom of this post is a comment by the creator of the YouTube above.

From LTCOL EUGENE B RICHARDSON, who is fighting the good fight for victims of Peripheral Neuropahty especially those needing IVIG Treatment.

Thank you Eugene!!

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PLEASE

SEE THE LEGISLATIVE ALERT BELOW ON NEEDED CHANGES FOR THOSE DEPENDENT UPON GAMMA GLOBULIN ACCESS IVIG FOR THEIR IMMUNE MEDIATED NEUROPATHY. MANY OF US DO NOT MAKE IT WITHOUT THIS CRITICAL THERAPY.

PLEASE HELP AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW FOR CONTACTING YOUR LEGISLATORS SUPPORTING THESE CHANGES TO MEDICARE.

BLESSINGS

LTCOL EUGENE B RICHARDSON USA RETIRED
NEUROPATHY PATIENT WITH CIDP PLUS

Primary Immune Tribune
E-newsletter of the Immune Deficiency Foundation

July 2009

Contents
IDF Needs Your HELP to Fix IVIG Access and Reimbursement
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IDF Needs Your HELP to Fix IVIG Access and Reimbursement
Contact Your Senators and Representative!

After the 4th of July recess, Senate and House Committees will begin to consider the much talked about health care reform legislation, including changes to the Medicare program. And both the House of Representatives and the United States Senate will continue to debate health care reform during the month of July. It is imperative that the language in HR 2002 and S. 701, the Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act be included in any health care reform legislation passed by this Congress. Your voice at this critical time is important for both chambers of Congress to hear!!

The members of the Senate and the House need to know that people care about IVIG and they need to have IVIG access problems addressed in the health care reform bills.

Please act now and ask your families and friends to contact their Senators and Representative by participating in IDF's Action Alert. You make the difference!

Contact Your Representative

In 2005, Congress changed the way Medicare pays for IVIG and, as a result, many doctors no longer provide the treatment - making it harder for patients to get IVIG. Also, current law does not pay for the nursing and IV items needed for IVIG therapy administered in the home. These serious problems affect the entire community as an increasing number of private pay insurers are following Medicare's lead.

To fix this problem, Representatives Israel (NY), Brady (TX) and, Schwartz (PA) introduced HR 2002, the Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act, and Representatives Matsui (CA) and Tanner (TN) introduced HR 1765. Both of these bills are critical to patients who rely on IVIG therapy for their health, as they correct the current problems and respond to government reports that confirmed these problems.

Please contact your Representative's office and urge them to include HR 2002 and HR 1765 in any health care reform legislation passed by this Congress. Call the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and request to be transferred to your Representative's office. Please also CLICK HERE TO SEND THE ACTION ALERT LETTER to your Representative!


Contact Your Senators

In 2005, Congress changed the way Medicare pays for IVIG and, as a result, many doctors no longer provide the treatment - making it harder for patients to get IVIG. Also, current law does not pay for the nursing and IV items needed for IVIG therapy administered in the home. These serious problems affect the entire community as an increasing number of private pay insurers are following Medicare's lead.

To fix this problem, Senators Kerry (MA), Alexander (TN), Wyden (OR), Whitehouse (RI) and Brownback (KS) introduced the Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act, S 701.

Please contact both of your Senators, and urge them to include S. 701 in any health care reform legislation passed by this Congress. Call the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and request to be transferred to your Senator's office. Please also CLICK HERE TO SEND THE ACTION ALERT LETTER to both of your Senators!


IDF E-newsletter
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Primary Immune Tribune is sponsored by an educational grant from Talecris Biotherapeutics

CLICK HERE to add yourself to the letter:

http://capwiz.com/immune/issues/alert/?alertid=13666696


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Comment from profile of person who created the YouTube video above. I include it because the comments this post might host bare the same rules:


A video presentation by Weinlein and Dwyer that investigates Tim O'Brien's perspective of the Vietnam War through his work, The Things They Carried. Submitted for Mr. Mody's American Experience class at Burnt Hills HS. Please keep in mind that despite some of the content and parts the lyrics, this site (and all those connected to my account) is intended for use by primarily high school students. This means I will not approve comments with vulgarity or with questionable, derogatory, or inflammatory content. I do understand that this may come off as hypocritical as there is some vulgarity in the song itself.
You are free to comment on whether or not you like/agree with the video and/or the novel it is attempting to summarize. Criticism is fair game in my eyes, as long as it is insightful and in good taste. The old song was "This is War" by Smile Empty Soul, but WMG blocked it so it had to be changed to "Fade Away" by Seether from through YouTube's AudioSwap. It doesn't have anywhere near the same effect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP4GaprkAJg&feature=fvw

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Peripheral Neuropathy HELP and SUPPORT:

http://www.neuropathy.org

The Neuropathy Association is the leading national non-profit organization serving the peripheral neuropathy community. We provide support and education, advocate for patients’ interests, and promote research into the causes of and cures for neuropathy.

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