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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

Top Democrat pushes for action on biotech drugs - Article from Associated Press. - June 8, 2009

Ailing Kennedy drafts vision of healthcare reform - Article from Yahoo! News. - June 8, 2009

Senator says Obama 'got nerve' to push lawmakers - Article from Yahoo! News. - June 7, 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

Senate Reform Bill Likely to Mandate Universal Coverage - Article from HFMA. - May 16, 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

Congress Approves Budget, Paves Way for Healthcare Reform - Article from HFMA News. - April 30, 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

Bill Would Let Copycats Compete With Biotech Drugs - Article from The NY Times. - March 26, 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

Obama Signs Healthcare-Heavy Appropriations Bill - Article from Modern Healthcare (registration req'd, but free). News items from AHANews.com and Kaiser Network. - March 11, 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

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
California law mandates discussing end-of-life options - article from amednews - November 10, 2008
Pennsylvania Legislature Passes Bill To Limit Mandatory Overtime for Nurses, Health Care Workers - news summary from Kaiser Network - October 14, 2008
State Senate approves ban on gifts to physicians - article from Medical Marketing & Media - April 21, 2008
Childish dialysis battle continues in Legislature - article from Leader-Call - February 26, 2008
Alaskan State Officials Rework Ethics Legislation To Allow Lawmaker To Receive "Gift" Kidney - article from UPI - January 25, 2008

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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 109th CONGRESS (2007-2008)

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.

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.

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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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