Healthcare Professionals
Healthcare professionals interested in diabetes education will find this section of our web site useful. We are in the process of adding content please check back for new updates.
Current Legislative News
Don't let our DSMT Bill die!
Only half a year remains in the current session of Congress. Once Congress adjourns, all bills that have not been voted on will essentially 'die,' and must be reintroduced again in the 112th session of Congress that begins in January 2011.
The Medicare Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act has been introduced in the Senate as S. 3211 and in the House as H.R. 2425. We must increase the number of Congressional co-sponsors for these bills if they are going to pass Congress this year. That is where you come in! We need your help in contacting your Senators and Representatives and asking them to co-sponsor our bill.
This year, over 5,400 bills have been introduced in the House. Over 3,400 have been introduced in the Senate. And more bills are introduced daily. Of these only a very tiny fraction will ever actually be 'voted on.' Most bills that are voted on are often combined into larger packages to streamline congressional action.
SO, HOW DOES OUR BILL GET INCLUDED IN ONE OF THESE LARGER HEALTH BILLS?
To compete for space in one of these larger packages, Congress must generally agree that 3 main goals have been met:
- The policy behind the smaller bill has merit: i.e. carefully crafted educational documents showing the need for the bill.
- The politics behind the bill has merit, i.e. enough constituents have contacted their Congresspersons and asked them to pass the bill.
- The process exists to pass the bill, i.e. a larger Medicare bill is moving through Congress, which can serve as a 'vehicle' on which to attach our bill.
The first goal has been met by the efforts of AADE staff and volunteers. Now, it’s time to work on goal #2. We need the diabetes education community to show interest and support for these bills so that we can include our bill in a larger one when the opportunity arises (goal #3).
SO, HOW DO I REALLY MAKE AN IMPACT?
In your email or fax, take the time to add a personal sentence to describe your own diabetes education program, the patients you serve, and why S. 3211/H.R. 2425 will help increase access to care for the many people in your area who desperately need to learn how to control their diabetes. Be sure and ask your Member to "Co-sponsor" S. 3211/H.R. 2425 respectively. Do not simply ask for their "support" by itself; you will likely get a form letter in response. (Note: both David Wu and Peter DeFazio are co-sponsors for HR 2425.)
Follow up with the Member's Health Legislative Assistant by phone. If at all possible, do not simply call and leave a message at the front desk.
Because the Diabetes Education bill is bi-partisan, widely supported among major health and diabetes groups, and does not impact the federal deficit, your message can always be an extremely positive statement about the benefits this bill will bring to patients in your state who need DSMT
AADE has a sample letter that is easy to send--just take a moment to personalize the letter and follow it up with a call to your Congressperson’s Health Legislation Assistant. You'll find the sample letter at www.diabeteseducator.org
Thank you for your ongoing help in making the Diabetes Education bill a reality and helping us all ensure that individuals with diabetes are able to receive the quality care they need!
Denise Cedar
Find your Legislator
Not sure who to talk to? Check out this site and find your people: www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/
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