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This Legislation Watch on RenalWEB tracks pending dialysis-related legislation at both federal and state levels. Features include links to bill summaries, sample letters to send legislators, related news articles, and position papers from contributors. You can access information by clicking on the links listed to the left of this paragraph.

The latest federal budget surplus estimates show that there is less money than previously anticipated to fund the government’s programs. As a result, competition for federal healthcare dollars will be fierce. Therefore, participation in lobbying and letter writing to legislators are more important this year than they have ever been.

If you are interested providing a sample letter or supporting information for any legislation, please contact RenalWEB at renalweb@renalweb.com.

 

 


  LATEST NEWS AND ACTION ITEMS

RN Safe Staffing Bill Introduced in Congress - Article from the American Nurses Association. - July 7, 2010
CBO Director: Potential Health Law Savings Not Enough To Reduce Long-Term Deficits - Article from Kaiser Health News. News item from HFMA. - June 30, 2010
Congress' Failure Puts Renal Patients at Risk - (Registration required, but free.) Video blog by Jeffrey Burns, MD from Medscape Nephrology. - June 24, 2010
House Passes Doc-Pay Fix - Article from the New York Times. - June 24, 2010
Despite Cuts, GOP Continues Block Of Bill To Extend Medicaid Assistance, 'Fix' Medicare Payments - Article from Kaiser Health News. - June 24, 2010
Expansion of Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage - An Imperative Reform - ASN Kidney News podcast. - June 11, 2010
Health Law Implementation: Insurance, Coverage And Medicare Payment Questions - Article from Kaiser Health News. - June 1, 2010
Health Law Mandates Higher Medicare Payment For Osteoporosis Tests - Article from Kaiser Health News. - May 31, 2010
House Passes Doc Pay 'Patch,' Senate Vote Needed To Block 21 Percent Cut - See 'Top Story' from InsideHealthPolicy.com. News item from AHANews.com. - May 25, 2010
Update on Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act - News from the Polycystic Kidney Foundation. - April 27, 2010
The Potential Health Effects of Citizens United - Free, full-text perspective piece from The New England Journal of Medicine. - April 15, 2010
"On January 21, 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court reached one of its most controversial decisions in years, with Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission."
Sebelius Vows Implementation Of Health Law Will Be Clear, Transparent - Summary from Kaiser Health News. - April 9, 2010
Will All with Preexisting ills Be Covered under Healthcare Reform? - Article from The Miami Herald. - April 1, 2010
Obama Signs Final Health Changes into Law - Article from Kaiser Health News. - March 30, 2010
NKF Notes Passage of Affordable Care Act, Says it "Will Benefit Americans with Kidney Disease" - Blog entry by Bill Peckham from Dialysis from the Sharp End of the Needle. - March 28, 2010
Final vote approves US healthcare bill amendments - Article from the BBC. - March 26, 2010
House Passes Final Piece Of Landmark Health Reform, 220-207 - Article from Kaiser Health News. - March 25, 2010
Marking 'A New Season In America,' Obama Signs Health Bill Into Law - News summary from Kaiser Health News. Article from The Hill. - March 23, 2010
Kidney Community Silent on Legislation That Massively Benefits People with CKD and Those That Provide Our Care - Blog entry by Bill Peckham from Dialysis from the Sharp End of the Needle. - March 22, 2010
Obama To Sign Senate Health Reform Bill Tuesday - Article from Kaiser Health News. - March 22, 2010
What's Next? Senate Prepares To Consider House-Passed Reconciliation Fixes - Article from Kaiser Health News. - March 22, 2010
House Democrats Approve Health-Care Reform Bill - Article from HealthDay. - March 21, 2010
The Health Care Reform Reconciliation Bill (Updated) - Blog entry from Health Affairs. - March 19, 2010
House Passes Bill To Improve HIT Incentives, Delay Physician Pay Cut - Article from AHANews. - March 17, 2010
Passage of Health Overhaul Bill Will Unalterably Change the CKD Advocacy Landscape - Blog entry by Bill Peckham from Dialysis from the Sharp End of the Needle. - March 16, 2010
Refresher: What's In The Health Reform Bills - NPR News story via Kaiser Health News. - March 9, 2010
Obama's New Plan To Push Health Reform Forward: Be More Assertive - Articles from The Hill and Kaiser Health News. - March 4, 2010
Bipartisanship Unlikely After Health Summit; Party Unity Obama's Next Best Bet - Summary from Kaiser Health News. Article from The Hill. - February 24, 2010
Obama Releases $950 Billion Health Reform Plan - Articles from Medicare Update and Kaiser Health News. Summary from The White House. - February 22, 2010
Pelosi Says Congress Close to Health Deal - Articles from Kaiser Health News. - January 6, 2009
Lobbyists Continue Efforts To Influence Health Overhaul - Article from Kaiser Health News. - January 6, 2009
Health Bills Include Proposals For New Physician Payment System - Article from Kaiser Health News. - January 5, 2009
Senate-Passed Health Reform Bill Faces Tough Negotiations with House - Article from American Medical News. - January 4, 2009
Launching HITECH - ONLINE FIRST article from The New England Journal of Medicine. - December 30, 2009
Last week, the government took several critical steps toward a nationwide and secure electronic health information system. Dr. David Blumenthal, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, describes the key elements of the HITECH Act.
Ending End-of-Life Phobia — A Prescription for Enlightened Health Care Reform - Free, full-text perspective piece from The New England Journal of Medicine. - December 31, 2009
Senate’s Reform Package Wrapped Up in Time for Christmas - Free, full-text, Online Only perspective piece from The New England Journal of Medicine. - December 28, 2009
President Signs Legislation Delaying Medicare Physician Payment Reductions - News item from Medicare Update. - December 22, 2009
American Society of Transplantation Concerned That Kidney Transplant Patients May Suffer Politics As Usual in Capitol Hill Health Care Reform Debate - Press release. News item from Kaiser Health News. - December 15, 2009
Lawmakers' Plan for Immunosuppressants Spurs Division in Dialysis Community - Article from The New York Times. - December 14, 2009
Editor's Note: The letter from KCP suggests extending the MSP from 30 to 42 months for all patients. I believe much, much more could be accomplished by instead extending the MSP for employed ESRD patients to an indefinite period. It would transform the dialysis providers into renal rehabilitation specialists. See this draft version of RenalWEB's comments to CMS on the proposed bundle.
Senate Democrats Agree on Medicare Buy-In Proposal? - Article from Medicare Update. Related article from Kaiser Health News. - December 9, 2009
Reid: 'Broad Agreement' Reached By Senate Democrats On Health Bill - Article from Kaiser Health News. - December 8, 2009
Seven Things You Didn't Know Were In The Senate Health Bill - Article from Kaiser Health News. - November 30, 2009
Reid pulls together Senate Dems to take huge step forward on health reform - Articles from The Hill, Kaiser Health News, and Medicare Update. - November 21, 2009
Senate Bill Guts Intellectual Freedom in Comparative Effectiveness Research - Article from GoozNews. - November 19, 2009
Senate Health Reform Bill Includes Significant Medicare Payment Reductions - Article from Medicare Update. - November 19, 2009
ESRD related language in HR 3590 the Senate health insurance reform bill - Blog entry from DSEN. - November 19, 2009

With Senate Health Bill, Reid Tries To Balance Many Interests - Articles from Kaiser Health News and Medscape Medical News. - November 18, 2009
Editor's note: Amgen's lobbying efforts appear to have paid off, as they are listed as a "winner" in this Reuters article.

Senator Grassley Introduces Fighting Medicare Payment Fraud Act of 2009 - Article from Medicare Update. - November 17, 2009
HR 3962 mandates the inclusion of binders and calcimimetics in the dialysis payment bundle - Blog posting by Bill Peckham from Dialysis from the Sharp End of the Needle. - November 16, 2009
Winners and Losers in the House Bill - Article from GoozNews. - November 11, 2009
On Hill, Bipartisan Support Emerging For Commission To Control Health Costs - Article from Kaiser Health News. - November 11, 2009
HR 3962: A Path to Progress or Paucity? - Article from Medscape Today. Related blog entry from DSEN - November 10, 2009
House, Senate Health-Care Legislation: Side-by-Side Comparison - Article from Bloomberg. - November 9, 2009
"Biologic drugs, made from living cells by companies such as Thousand Oaks, California-based Amgen Inc., would get 12 years of protection from generic competition under plans passed by the House and the Senate health committee. The White House had sought to limit the exclusivity to seven years as a way of bringing prices down."
Democrats Confront Challenges After House Reform Vote - Articles from Kaiser Health News. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill late Saturday by a vote of 220 215. - November 9, 2009
House Democrats Unveil Healthcare-Reform Legislation - Article from Modern Healthcare. - October 29, 2009
Lieberman, Other Lawmakers Express Opposition To Reid's Public Plan - Article from Kaiser Health News. - October 27, 2009
Senate Health Care Reform Legislation to Include Public Option - Video link from Medicare Update. Articles from Kaiser Health News. - October 26, 2009
Judiciary Committee Passes Bill to End Generic Industry Payoffs - Article from Gooznews. - October 20, 2009
Legislation Introduced to End Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program - News article from Medicare Update. - October 15, 2009
Senate Panel Backs Healthcare Reform - Articles from Kaiser Health News. - October 14, 2009
Senate Finance Members Weigh Their Health Bill Votes - Articles from Kaiser Health News. - October 12, 2009
As Key Health Vote Draws Near, AST Pushes Senate to Say 'Yes' to Transplant Drug Extension - Article from PR Newswire. - October 8, 2009
Baucus's Bill and the Long Road to Reform - Free, full-text perspective piece from The New England Journal of Medicine. Related article from the Kaiser Health News. - October 8, 2009
Health care reform: Saving American lives - Special comment from Keith Olbermann. - October 7, 2009
Franken, Klobuchar Back Device Makers - Article from Gooznews. - October 5, 2009
Senate Finance Committee heath insurance reform bill does not include extension of transplant drug coverage - Blog entry by Bill Peckham from DSEN. - September 16, 2009
Baucus Bill Released; No Public Option - Article from Kaiser Health News. Additional articles from Kaiser Health News and The Hill. - September 16, 2009
Baucus Circulates $900 Billion Health Reform Plan To 'Gang Of Six' - Article from Kaiser Health News. - September 7, 2009
Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Increase Lobbying - Article from Kaiser Health News. - August 20, 2009
Baucus: Finance Negotiators 'On Track' Toward Bipartisan Health Bill - Article from Kaiser Health News. - August 19, 2009
Obama Makes Health Case in Newspaper Opinion Article - Article from MarketWatch. Obama's op/ed piece in The New York Times. - August 16, 2009

Olbermann Harshly Criticizes Members Of Congress Over Health Care Reform: "Legislators For Sale" - Video and transcript from The Huffington Post.- August 3, 2009

US House Panel Backs Exclusivity for Biologic Drugs - Article from The Wall Street Journal. - August 1, 2009
Lawmakers Struggling With Health Overhaul Bills - Articles from Kaiser Health News. - July 26, 2009
Doctor And Nursing Shortage Could Undermine Health Care Reform - Article from Kaiser Health News. - July 23, 2009
Biotech firms lobby for say on healthcare - Article from Boston.com. - July 21, 2009
Obama Administration Releases Independent Medicare Advisory Council Act of 2009 - Article from Medicare Update. On July 17, 2009, the Obama Administration released a draft version of the Independent Medicare Advisory Council Act of 2009 (Act). If enacted, it would give a MedPAC-like panel decision-making authority to set Medicare payment policy. - July 17, 2009
Consumer Groups Threaten To Withdraw Biologics Bill Support - Article from Nasdaq.com. - July 15, 2009
UPDATE: House Democrats Introduce America's Affordable Health Choices Act - Article from Medicare Update. - July 15, 2009
House Dems Unveil 1,000 Page Health Bill, Complete With Surtaxes On The Wealthy - Article from Kaiser Health News. - July 14, 2009
Transplant drug coverage bill long overdue - Letter to the Editor from Chicago Daily Herald. - July 9, 2009
Biotech Drug Copies Could Be Held Up 13 Years Under Senate Plan - Article from Bloomberg. - July 8, 2009
Familiar Players in Health Bill Lobbying - Article from The Washington Post. - July 6, 2009
House health reform bill first to tackle Medicare physician pay - Article from amednews.com - July 6, 2009

House Proposal Would Add Non-IV Equivalent Drugs to Bundle - Article from NephrOnline. - June 26, 2009

Baucus Signals Finance Committee Progress On Health Overhaul Bill - Article from Kaiser Health News. - June 25, 2009
House Ways and Means Committee to Hold Hearing on Health System Reform - Article from Medicare Update. - June 23, 2009
Senate Health Committee Begins Amending Reform Bill - Article from Kaiser Health News. - June 18, 2009

Former Senators Unveil Bipartisan Framework for Health Reform - Article from Kaiser Health News. - June 18, 2009

Finance Committee 'Slows Down' It's Health Legislation Schedule - Article from Kaiser Health News. - June 17, 2009

Lawmakers Want Federal Rules To Cover Home Health Care Workers And End-Of-Life Care - Article from Kaiser Health News. - June 12, 2009

Bill would promote training of health care professionals - Article from AHANews.com. - June 5, 2009
Daschle Gives Health Reform 50-50 Chance Of Passing - Article from Kaiser Health News. - June 2, 2009

Senate panel finishes health reform hearings, foresees bill by mid-June - Article from Amed News. - June 1, 2009

Senator Rockefeller Introduces MedPAC Reform Act of 2009 - Article from Medicare Update. - May 26, 2009

CMS Information Related to the Economic Recovery Act of 2009 - Overview from CMS. - May 21, 2009

Ten (10) percent Write-off from the Nine (9) CWF data bases for the Tables called: Medicare Secondary Payment and Beneficiary ESRD Dialysis Auxiliary, for the Calendar Years 2000 - 2008 - CMS Program Transmittal (5-page pdf). - April 24, 2009

Health Subcommittee Considers Bill To Eliminate Pre-Emption for Medical Devices - Article from Kaiser Network. - May 14, 2009

House to consider health reform bill before August recess - Article from AHA News. - May 13, 2009

Nurses, Doctors Arrested at Senate Finance Meeting; Press for Single-Payer System - News release from the California Nurses Association. - May 12, 2009

House Votes 227-196 To Affirm Democrats' Option To Use Budget Reconciliation Process To Fast-Track Health Care Legislation - Article from Kaiser Network. - April 23, 2009

The Struggle for Reform — Challenges and Hopes for Comprehensive Health Care Legislation - Free, full-text perspective piece from The New England Journal of Medicine. - April 23, 2009

Congress Approves Budget Resolutions - Article from Kaiser Network. - April 3, 2009

Patent Bill Gets Judiciary Approval, Moves to Senate (Update1) - Article from Bloomberg. - April 2, 2009

Sebelius, DeParle Discuss Health Care Reform With Congressional Lawmakers - Article from Kaiser Network. - March 25, 2009

NEJM Supports Medical Device Safety Act of 2009 - Article from Modern Medicine. - March 19, 2009

Legislation Would Give 12 Years of Market Exclusivity to Brand-Name Biologic Drug Manufacturers - Article from the Kaiser Network. - March 18, 2009

Sen. Edward Kennedy Working With HELP Committee Members To Introduce, Mark Up Health Care System Overhaul Legislation Before August Recess - Article from Kaiser Network. - March 17, 2009

Reps. Miller, Rangel, Waxman Will Work To Bring Health Care Overhaul Legislation to Floor by August Recess - Article from Kaiser Network. - March 12, 2009

Health Care and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - Free, full-text perspective piece from The New England Journal of Medicine. - March 12, 2009

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (PL 111-5) Sec. 5001 Grant Award Summary - March 2009

Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Promotes Bill To Provide Medicare Coverage for Home Infusion Therapy Services - Article from Kaiser Network. - March 5, 2009

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Issues Proposed Rules for Enforcement of Genetic Nondiscrimination Law - News summary from Kaiser Network. - February 26, 2009
Sens. Grassley, Kohl Announce Bill To Require Pharmaceutical, Medical Device Companies To Disclose Physician Gifts - Article from Kaiser Network - January 23, 2009
Two House Panels Approve Medicaid, COBRA, Health IT Funding in Economic Stimulus Package - Article from Kaiser Network - January 23, 2009
House Appropriations Committee Approves Portion of Economic Stimulus Package With Health Care IT Funds - Article from Kaiser Network - January 22, 2009

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 STATE LEGISLATION

California Lawmakers To Vote on Creation of Living Kidney Donor Registry - Article from California Healthline. - May 11, 2010
Georgia passes legislation to expand 'Medigap' coverage - Article from NephrOnline. - April 30, 2010
New York Lawmakers Call for Change to Organ Donation Policy - News report and video from 7Online.com (NY, NY). - April 28, 2010
New Health Law Will Require Industry To Disclose Payments To Physicians - Article from Kaiser Health News. - April 26, 2010
"Doctors who accept speaking fees, five-star meals and other compensation from pharmaceutical or medical device companies will soon see their names – and the value of the gifts they accept – revealed on the Web."
California Legislators Considering Living Donor Registry - Article from SFGate. - April 19, 2010

South Carolina Kidney Patients Ask for Medigap Legislation - Article from the Midlands Connect. - March 3, 2010

Crist Signs Alonzo Mourning’s Kidney Disease Bill - Article from The Jacksonville Observer. - June 11, 2009

Budget Proposal to Eliminate Dialysis Services Defeated - Article from Rocklin Today. - June 9, 2009

Lawmakers asked to make quick and drastic cuts to state programs - Article from Whittier Daily News. - June 2, 2009

Medigap Bill for Dialysis Patients Awaits Florida Governor's Signature - Article from Naples Daily News. - May 13, 2009

Organ Donor Families, Transplant Recipients Journey to Sacramento to Urge Passage of Key Donor Designation Legislation - Article from PRNewswire. - April 28, 2009

Sen. Oropeza bill preserves federal funding to help kidney patients - Article from the California Chronicle. - February 1, 2009
Kentucky Health Officials Lobby For "Dialysis Bill Of Rights" - Article from WKYT. - January, 19 2009

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  FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS

U.S. Representatives: You can locate your U.S. Representative

U.S. Senators: You can locate your U.S. Senators

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  FEDERAL LEGISLATION 111th CONGRESS (2009-2010)

HR 1 - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
Making supplemental appropriations for job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and science, assistance to the unemployed, and State and local fiscal stabilization, for fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes.

HR 2 & S 275 - Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009
To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to extend and improve the Children's Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes.

HR 15 - National Health Insurance Act
To provide a program of national health insurance, and for other purposes.

S 53 - Nursing School Clinics Act of 2009
A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of services provided by nursing school clinics under State medicaid programs.

S 54 - Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act of 2009
A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient protection by establishing minimum nurse staffing, ratios at Medicare providers, and for other purposes.

S 63 - Medicaid Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistants Access Act of 2009
A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to improve access to advanced practice nurses and physician assistants under the Medicaid Program.

S 80 - Pharmaceutical Market Access Act of 2009
A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the importation of prescription drugs, and for other purposes.

S 82 - Enhancing Health Care Coverage for Children Act
A bill to amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program, to limit income eligibility expansions under that program until the lowest income eligible individuals are enrolled, and for other purposes.

HR 218 - Living Organ Donor Tax Credit Act of 2009
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a nonrefundable personal credit to individuals who donate certain life-saving organs.

HR 193 - AmeriCare Health Care Act of 2009
To amend the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
to provide for an AmeriCare that assures the provision of health insurance
coverage to all residents, and for other purposes.

S 301 - Physician Payments Sunshine Act of 2009
A bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to provide for transparency in the relationship between physicians and manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologicals, or medical supplies for which payment is made under Medicare, Medicaid, or SCHIP.

HR 306 - Kidney Disease Educational Benefits Act of 2009
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for kidney disease education services under the Medicare Program, and for other purposes.

S 369 - Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act
A bill to prohibit brand name drug companies from compensating generic drug companies to delay the entry of a generic drug into the market.

HR 574 & S 254 - Medicare Home Infusion Therapy Coverage Act of 2009
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the coverage of home infusion therapy under the Medicare Program.

HR 676 - United States National Health Care Act or the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act
To provide for comprehensive health insurance coverage for all United States residents, improved health care delivery, and for other purposes.

HR 724 - America's Partnership for Nursing Education Act of 2009
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty, and for other purposes.

HR 1105 - Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009
Making omnibus appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes.

S 1110 - Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) Reform Act of 2009
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to create a sensible infrastructure for delivery system reform by renaming the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, making the Commission an executive branch agency, and providing the Commission new resources and authority to implement Medicare payment policy.

S 1173 - Community-Based Health Care Retraining Act
A bill to establish a demonstration project to train unemployed workers for employment as health care professionals, and for other purposes.

HR 1260 & S 515 - Patent Reform Act of 2009
A bill to amend title 35, United States Code, to provide for patent reform.

HR 1346 - Medical Device Safety Act of 2009
To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to liability under State and local requirements respecting devices.

HR 1427 - Promoting Innovation and Access to Life-Saving Medicine Act
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the licensing of biosimilar and biogeneric biological products, and for other purposes.

HR 1458 & S 565 - Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2009
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide continued entitlement to coverage for immunosuppressive drugs furnished to beneficiaries under the Medicare Program that have received a kidney transplant and whose entitlement to coverage would otherwise expire, and for other purposes.

HR 3200 - America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009
To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes.

HR 3590 & S 1728 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Became Public Law No: 111-148.

HR 3790 - To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare competitive acquisition program for durable medical equipment and prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) in a budget neutral manner.

HR 3962 - Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010

HR 3970 - Medical Rights and Reform Act of 2009
To protect the doctor-patient relationship, improve the quality of health care services, lower the costs of health care services, expand access to health care services, and for other purposes.

HR 4851 & S 3153 - Continuing Extension Act of 2010
To provide a fully offset temporary extension of certain programs so as not to increase the deficit, and for other purposes.

HR 5527& S 3491 - Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act of 2010
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient protection by establishing safe nurse staffing levels at certain Medicare providers, and for other purposes.

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  LOBBYING AND LETTER WRITING

It is important to convince Senators and Representatives to cosponsor the bill through grassroots letters and lobbying.  A bill that has wide, bipartisan support in both the House and Senate has a better chance of being enacted into law. When the House and Senate leaders choose bills to include in a Medicare package, they will look for bills that have cosponsors from a variety of geographic locations, from both political parties, and support from Members on the Committees that have jurisdiction over the program being effected.

Do not e-mail your Member of Congress, but instead take the time to type or hand write a letter. ("Copy and paste" the sample letters to save time and then edit them appropriately.) It will get a much better response from your Senators and Representatives. Messages coming from the people who elected them really do receive the most attention and are an effective educational tool. 

Use these Tips on Writing a Legislator from the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) to help you correspond with your congressional representatives.

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 CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES

THOMAS - Legislative Information on the Internet from the Library of Congress

House of Representatives - Homepage

Senate - Homepage

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 OTHER RESOURCES

NKF Office of Scientific and Public Policy
Issues and Legislation - from the Kidney Care Partners web site
ESRD Briefing Book for State and Federal Policy Makers (pdf format requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) from the ANNA web site
Capital Kidney Connection from the National Kidney Foundation web site
Kidney Care Partners web site

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