Medicare Lymphedema Treatment Bill Introduced

Dear Readers of Lymphedema Today!

Today I would like to share with you a statement posted on the National Lymphedema Networks (NLN) website informing you that the Medicare Lymphedema Treatment Bill was officially introduced on February 23 by Congressman Larry Kissell of North Carolina in the House of Representatives as H.R. 4662, the “Lymphedema Diagnosis and Treatment Cost Saving Act of 2010.”
This is great news and the NLN asks for your support by contacting your local Representatives and Senators to urge them to co-sponsor H.R. 4662 and to introduce a similar bill in the Senate.

Here is the statement:

This is a historic time for the lymphedema community nationwide.

Our lymphedema diagnosis and treatment bill has been given a bill number and was introduced

The bill was written by NLN Legislative Advocate Bob Weiss. During the last 6 weeks he has worked closely with a Congressional Legislative Counsel and Congressman Kissell to re-work the text. At the same time we owe Heather Ferguson, the young mom from North Carolina, a HUGE thank you! If you recall, she was instrumental in securing the coverage for treatment of LE in NC, and convinced Congressman Kissell to sponsor this bill. It shows what dedicated individuals can accomplish!

The bill has the goal of reducing total healthcare costs through avoidance of periodic infections, pain and disabilities resulting from this medical condition. Specific goals of the bill are:

• to provide diagnosis and treatment of individuals with and at risk for lymphedema according to current medical treatment standards, including manual lymph drainage, compression bandages, garments, devices, and exercise
• to enhance quality of lymphedema patient care by providing therapist qualification requirements
• to provide for lymphedema patient education in the procedures for self-treatment so as to transfer the treatment from the clinical to the home setting
• to encourage patient self-treatment plan adherence by providing necessary medical supplies for use at home
• to expand patient access to qualified lymphedema therapy by extending coverage to qualified, trained lymphedema therapists who may practice under a qualified physician, physical therapist or occupational therapist.

I encourage you to contact your local Representatives and Senators. Urge them to co-sponsor H.R. 4662 and to introduce a similar bill in the Senate. Stress the fact that this bill is projected to save hundreds of millions of dollars every year in avoidance of costs of treating preventable lymphedema-related cellulitis. This is a quality of care issue affecting insured patients and is complementary to healthcare access issues. Time is of the essence for you who have had difficulty in obtaining proper treatment for your LE. We may never have a better opportunity!

Please note: Sample letters to your Representative and Senator are on the bottom of this post

You may find your Congressional representatives by going to http://www.contactingthecongress.org and entering your address.

Please forward the NLN office nln@lymphnet.org the name and contact information of your representative and we will also send a letter to him/her and copy you on the correspondence.

If you have any questions or comments please contact Bob or Saskia at the address below.

Saskia R.J. Thiadens R.N.
Executive Director
National Lymphedema Network
saskiat@lymphnet.org

Robert “Bob” Weiss, MS
Chair, NLN Legislative Committee
National Lymphedema Network
lymphactivist@aol.com

Following are sample letters to your Representatives and Senators. These letters only represent suggested verbiage. Please feel free to customize your letter in any way.

Sample letter to your Representative:

Dear Representative________________________:

I am writing to urge you to sign on as a primary or co-sponsor of the Lymphedema Diagnosis and Treatment Cost Saving Act of 2010, HR 4662, introduced by Congressman Larry Kissell on February 23, 2010.

This act will reduce Medicare costs while improving patient care and quality of life. Currently Medicare and some private insurance companies do not offer complete coverage for this disease, which afflicts millions of Americans, and is most commonly caused by treatment for cancer. These policies only cover the expensive, difficult to treat and often chronic complications which are the inevitable result of patients having not received the proper medical care in the earlier stages. Such policies are falling short of providing these individuals treatment in accordance with established standards of care. And current policies lead to the expenditure of immense amounts of precious healthcare resources to treat preventable lymphedema-related cellulitis.

Treatment for lymphedema is a medical necessity critical to the health and well-being of those who suffer from the disease. The clinically-proven treatment of lymphedema is called “complex decongestive therapy”. It is used world-wide by the medical community, is not experimental and has decades of proven success. Unfortunately, not all components of this treatment fall under categories for which Medicare or private insurance companies typically provide coverage. With treatment, a patient lives a long, healthy and virtually normal life. But without treatment, the disease can grow progressively worse, causing severe disfigurement, disability and pain, and in some cases even results in death. A lymphedema treatment mandate went in to effect in North Carolina January 1, 2010, and one has been in effect in Virginia since 2004.

This bill already has the official backing of the National Lymphedema Network and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and the endorsement of other national groups is anticipated. For additional information or to (co)sponsor this bill, contact Zach Pfister in Congressman Kissell’s office at zach.pfister@mail.house.gov or 202-225-3715.

Please support the Lymphedema Diagnosis and Treatment Cost Saving Act of 2010, which will improve patient care while reducing Medicare costs, by signing on as a primary or co-sponsor of this bill.

Sincerely,

(Your name)
(Include your address here, even if you are sending this by email)

Sample letter to your Senator:

Dear Senator________________________:

I am writing to urge you to sign on as a primary or co-sponsor of the Lymphedema Diagnosis and Treatment Cost Saving Act of 2010, HR 4662, introduced by Congressman Larry Kissell on February 23, 2010.

This act will reduce Medicare costs while improving patient care and quality of life. Currently Medicare and some private insurance companies do not offer complete coverage for this disease, which afflicts millions of Americans, and is most commonly caused by treatment for cancer. These policies only cover the expensive, difficult to treat and often chronic complications which are the inevitable result of patients having not received the proper medical care in the earlier stages. Such policies are falling short of providing these individuals treatment in accordance with established standards of care. And current policies lead to the expenditure of immense amounts of precious healthcare resources to treat preventable lymphedema-related cellulitis.

Treatment for lymphedema is a medical necessity critical to the health and well-being of those who suffer from the disease. The clinically-proven treatment of lymphedema is called “complex decongestive therapy”. It is used world-wide by the medical community, is not experimental and has decades of proven success. Unfortunately, not all components of this treatment fall under categories for which Medicare or private insurance companies typically provide coverage. With treatment, a patient lives a long, healthy and virtually normal life. But without treatment, the disease can grow progressively worse, causing severe disfigurement, disability and pain, and in some cases even results in death. A lymphedema treatment mandate went in to effect in North Carolina January 1, 2010, and one has been in effect in Virginia since 2004.

This bill already has the official backing of the National Lymphedema Network and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and the endorsement of other national groups is anticipated. For additional information or to (co)sponsor this bill, contact Zach Pfister in Congressman Kissell’s office at zach.pfister@mail.house.gov or 202-225-3715.

Please support the Lymphedema Diagnosis and Treatment Cost Saving Act of 2010, which will improve patient care while reducing Medicare costs, by signing on as a primary or co-sponsor of this bill.

Sincerely,

(Your name)
(Include your address here, even if you are sending this by email)