Ironically, despite a strong recommendation from the authors of the Guidelines for the Management of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury that the use of steroids was NOT recommended for the treatment of severe traumatic brain injury, research in the area continues. The irony is that the Brain Trauma Foundation is supporting such research, despite the fact that they were the publishers of the Guidelines. The Guidelines were published in Journal of Neurotrauma, Volume 24, Supplement 1, 2007. http://www.braintrauma.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Guidelines
The latest guideline said this about steroids:
The majority of available evidence indicates that steroids do not improve outcome or lower ICP in severe TBI. There is strong evidence that steroids are deleterious; thus their use is not recommended for TBI.
Currently there is little enthusiasm for re-examing the use of existing formulations of steroids for treatment of patients with TBI. If new compounds with different mechanisms of action are discovered, further study may be justified.
I guess a lot has changed in less than three years. A nationwide study, named ProTECT, on the use of progesterone to treat moderate to severe brain injury will be conducted at 17 hospitals across the nation, it was announced Wednesday.
http://www.henryfordhealth.org/body.cfm?id=46335&action;=detail&ref;=1057 Progesterone also known is a steroid hormone which is part of the female reproductive cycle.
The study, funded by the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, will track 1,100 patients nationally for at least three years. http://www.freep.com/article/20100210/BUSINESS06/100210029/1320/Hospitals-take-part-in-brain-injury-study
The goal of the research is to find out if the hormone progesterone can lessen the disability and death, that can stem from Traumatic Brain Injury, the leading cause of death and disability in those younger than 44 years old, according to the Brain Trauma Foundation.
Research with animals has found that progesterone may lessen brain damage resulting from TBI.
ProTECT is a double-bind study, and will evaluate patients with moderate to severe brain damage. The evaluation must take place within four hours of the injury, and enrolled patients will either be given a placebo or the progesterone intravenously.
The Food and Drug Administration is allowing hospitals to enroll patients without written consent because TBI patients may not be conscious or have the ability to make an informed decision right after their injury.
Four Detroit hospitals will take part in the study, namely Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit-Receiving Hospital, Sinai-Grace Hospital and Beaumont Hospital.
One of the last studies on the use of steroids for TBI was halted mid-trial because of hard evidence that it was doing more harm than good. We hope this one is monitored with extremely tight controls, with no vested stake in continuing the study if things start to go wrong.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
Richardson death revives debate on ski helmets
Date: 3/19/2009 11:14 PM
By MEGAN K. SCOTT
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — News that actress Natasha Richardson died of head injuries after falling on a ski slope has renewed debate over whether helmets should be mandatory for snowboarders and downhill skiers.
The 45-year-old actress was not wearing a helmet when she fell Monday at Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec. She died Wednesday in a New York hospital.
It’s unclear whether a helmet could have saved Richardson. But research shows wearing a helmet decreases the likelihood of having a head injury by 40 to 60 percent, said Dr. Robert Williams, associate professor of anesthesia and pediatrics at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vermont.
“There’s no downside at all to wearing a helmet,” he said.
In the United States, the National Ski Areas Association is not aware of any states that mandate helmets. But the association and its member resorts promote their use, and a growing number of skiers and snowboarders choose to wear them.
According to the group, nearly half of U.S. skiers and snowboarders wore helmets in the past two years, up from about 25 percent five years earlier. Sales of helmets have grown at a rate of about 9 percent each year since 2005-2006, according to SnowSports Industries America.
Quebec officials said Thursday that they are considering making helmets mandatory on ski slopes following Richardson’s accident. Emergency room doctors had been lobbying for the requirement, and Richardson’s death added impetus to the plans, said Jean-Pascal Bernier, a spokesman for the sports minister.
“By no means will a helmet save you 100 percent but it’s definitely a step in the right direction to try to prevent brain damage or something like that,” said Valerie Powell of the Canada Safety Council.
But the National Ski Areas Association, based in Lakewood, Colorado, stops short of calling for legislation.
The increase in helmet usage has not reduced the overall number of ski fatalities; more than half of the people involved in fatal accidents last season were wearing helmets at the time of the incident, according to information gathered by the group.
And ski and snowboarding-related deaths are relatively rare. During the 2004-2005 season, 45 fatalities occurred out of the 56.9 million skier/snowboarder days reported for the season, according to NSAA.
Helmets may be effective at preventing minor injuries, but they have not been shown to reduce fatalities, said Jasper Shealy, a professor emeritus at the Rochester Institute of Technology who has been studying skiing and snowboarding since 1970.
He encourages people to wear helmets, although he suspects they may give people a false sense of security to engage in risky stunts. Helmets work better at slow speeds, he said, when they can protect against injuries caused by collisions with solid objects.
Ski operators are among the most vocal opponents to mandated helmet use.
Alexis Boyer of the Quebec Ski Areas Association said 90 percent of youngsters under 12 already use helmets, but making that law would put operators in the position of having to police their guests, many of whom come from outside the province and country and may not be aware of the requirements.
Still, people tend to change their behavior as a result of high-profile deaths.
Andrea Fereshteh, 29, a writer at Duke University, said she started wearing a helmet after the ski-related deaths of Sonny Bono and Michael Kennedy. Both crashed into trees.
“It just became much more publicized about the need for helmets,” she said.
Richardson’s death is likely to hit home for skiers because she was on a beginner slope when she fell. Resort officials say she seemed fine immediately afterward and even refused to see a doctor but that she began complaining of a headache about an hour later and was rushed to hospital.
Scott Kerschbaumer, a former ski instructor who has never worn a helmet, considered Bono’s and Kennedy’s skiing deaths to be the result of high-speed, somewhat reckless behavior.
Richardson shows “that the most serious of injuries and even death can result from the most innocuous of falls while skiing.”
Kerschbaumer said he hadn’t wanted to wear a helmet because of vanity and comfort, but will now purchase one for himself and his 6-year-old son.
As a beginner skier, Latoicha Phillips Givens, 35, an attorney in Atlanta, thought she was safe skiing without one. She said she certainly is going to wear one now.
But Bill Douglass, 37, a social media strategist in New York City, said he doesn’t want to see people overreact.
“I think wearing a helmet when skiing is going too far,” he said. “Better to encourage people to focus on smarter safety measures like taking classes, learning how to stop properly, that kind of thing.”
___
Associated Press Writer Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
By MEGAN K. SCOTT
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — News that actress Natasha Richardson died of head injuries after falling on a ski slope has renewed debate over whether helmets should be mandatory for snowboarders and downhill skiers.
The 45-year-old actress was not wearing a helmet when she fell Monday at Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec. She died Wednesday in a New York hospital.
It’s unclear whether a helmet could have saved Richardson. But research shows wearing a helmet decreases the likelihood of having a head injury by 40 to 60 percent, said Dr. Robert Williams, associate professor of anesthesia and pediatrics at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vermont.
“There’s no downside at all to wearing a helmet,” he said.
In the United States, the National Ski Areas Association is not aware of any states that mandate helmets. But the association and its member resorts promote their use, and a growing number of skiers and snowboarders choose to wear them.
According to the group, nearly half of U.S. skiers and snowboarders wore helmets in the past two years, up from about 25 percent five years earlier. Sales of helmets have grown at a rate of about 9 percent each year since 2005-2006, according to SnowSports Industries America.
Quebec officials said Thursday that they are considering making helmets mandatory on ski slopes following Richardson’s accident. Emergency room doctors had been lobbying for the requirement, and Richardson’s death added impetus to the plans, said Jean-Pascal Bernier, a spokesman for the sports minister.
“By no means will a helmet save you 100 percent but it’s definitely a step in the right direction to try to prevent brain damage or something like that,” said Valerie Powell of the Canada Safety Council.
But the National Ski Areas Association, based in Lakewood, Colorado, stops short of calling for legislation.
The increase in helmet usage has not reduced the overall number of ski fatalities; more than half of the people involved in fatal accidents last season were wearing helmets at the time of the incident, according to information gathered by the group.
And ski and snowboarding-related deaths are relatively rare. During the 2004-2005 season, 45 fatalities occurred out of the 56.9 million skier/snowboarder days reported for the season, according to NSAA.
Helmets may be effective at preventing minor injuries, but they have not been shown to reduce fatalities, said Jasper Shealy, a professor emeritus at the Rochester Institute of Technology who has been studying skiing and snowboarding since 1970.
He encourages people to wear helmets, although he suspects they may give people a false sense of security to engage in risky stunts. Helmets work better at slow speeds, he said, when they can protect against injuries caused by collisions with solid objects.
Ski operators are among the most vocal opponents to mandated helmet use.
Alexis Boyer of the Quebec Ski Areas Association said 90 percent of youngsters under 12 already use helmets, but making that law would put operators in the position of having to police their guests, many of whom come from outside the province and country and may not be aware of the requirements.
Still, people tend to change their behavior as a result of high-profile deaths.
Andrea Fereshteh, 29, a writer at Duke University, said she started wearing a helmet after the ski-related deaths of Sonny Bono and Michael Kennedy. Both crashed into trees.
“It just became much more publicized about the need for helmets,” she said.
Richardson’s death is likely to hit home for skiers because she was on a beginner slope when she fell. Resort officials say she seemed fine immediately afterward and even refused to see a doctor but that she began complaining of a headache about an hour later and was rushed to hospital.
Scott Kerschbaumer, a former ski instructor who has never worn a helmet, considered Bono’s and Kennedy’s skiing deaths to be the result of high-speed, somewhat reckless behavior.
Richardson shows “that the most serious of injuries and even death can result from the most innocuous of falls while skiing.”
Kerschbaumer said he hadn’t wanted to wear a helmet because of vanity and comfort, but will now purchase one for himself and his 6-year-old son.
As a beginner skier, Latoicha Phillips Givens, 35, an attorney in Atlanta, thought she was safe skiing without one. She said she certainly is going to wear one now.
But Bill Douglass, 37, a social media strategist in New York City, said he doesn’t want to see people overreact.
“I think wearing a helmet when skiing is going too far,” he said. “Better to encourage people to focus on smarter safety measures like taking classes, learning how to stop properly, that kind of thing.”
___
Associated Press Writer Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
Brain Injury and Depression
When we think of the impact that brain injury has on a person, it is often the ability to process, record and recover information that comes to the forefront. We focus on the thought processes or problems in memory first, and the emotional aspects of brain injury last. However, depression is a significant and debilitating factor in many brain injuries.
According to the Brain Injury Association of America, significant depression will affect 6 out of 100 people in the general population. However, research has found that if TBI is involved this number may increase by ten times.
Lack of inhibition and compromised frustration levels can affect a brain injured individual’s ability to control anger. The same mechanisms can affect an individual’s emotional responses on many levels and emotional responses may become exaggerated or inappropriate.
Depression, however, is not only triggered by the physical changes in the person’s state.
“Many research studies show that post-TBI depression is associated with poorer rehabilitation outcomes, reduced activities of daily living, increased experience of failure, increased stress, reduced employment, more frequent divorce, increased family burden, reduced social-recreational activity, increased sexual problems, reduced life satisfaction and poorer health-related quality of life.”
Whether depression is triggered by the inability of the brain to cope with emotional signals or environmental changes which occur as a result of decreased functioning or whether it involves an actual chemical change in the brain, depression is a serious issue which needs to be addressed.
Individuals who were exceptionally high functioning before an injury occurred are often at a higher risk for depression because of their inability to achieve pre-injury functioning. A lack of ability to stay on task due to lower frustration levels, inability to multitask and diminished stamina can all contribute to a feeling of worthlessness when measuring themselves against their former selves. This process becomes a cycle between frustration and anger which can isolate the individual from previous social interactions.
It is accepted by the medical community that a feeling of being a burden on others and not being of value in the world can lead to suicidal ideation. When a formerly high functioning individual is placed in a situation which makes them dependent on a caregiver and removes them from pre-injury productivity, it can become a severe blow to self worth, which can lead to depression.
Depression is a highly treatable condition which requires admission that depression is present. This may or may not be possible if the brain injured person has no self awareness about their own emotional functioning. It is important that family members and caregivers understand the signs and symptoms and what they can do to help.
A brain injured person is more likely to self-medicate with alcohol and drugs in an attempt to cope with the changes which have occurred. Because they have a compromised system, they are more vulnerable to the use of substances which can escalate the problem. These issues may need to be addressed as well with a knowledgeable professional experienced in treating brain-injured individuals.
There is an excellent brochure available from the Brain Injury Association entitled “Coping with Depression after Traumatic Brain Injury” which describes the factors which may lead to depression and what the survivor and family can do to manage depression.
Gordon Johnson
g@gordonjohnson.com
www.tbilaw.com
www.subtlebraininjury.com
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
Bridge Back from Brain Injury Despair
In 1997, Becca Martin and I created http://waiting.com. It is certainly the most important thing I have done in my career. One of the most important contributions of that page was that its Bridge from Despair was the first internet collection of stories from those who had suffered the tragedy of brain injury on the internet. The internet was young then, and people were just beginning to discover the value of the connection it creates.
Yesterday I got this story, and I thought this blog would be a good place to tell this story, a story we will probably add to http://waiting.com/waitingbridge.html
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
Yesterday I got this story, and I thought this blog would be a good place to tell this story, a story we will probably add to http://waiting.com/waitingbridge.html
Dear Mr. Johnson,Thank you Lisa for allowing me to post your story on this blog.
10 months ago I had a serious car accident and was in coma for 1 week. I had 3 brain-bleedings and 2 brain contusions. While I was in the coma my parents were with me and spoke to me. My father is German and we live in Germany, my mother is English. And I think she spoke a lot in English with me, because since the coma I often think in English. I am very, very grateful to them that they were by my side. This is the most important thing in the world. The love of your parents. You feel it and you know that they are with you, although you are in the coma. To give this deep love is the most comforting and the most beautiful thig you can do to the person you love. And to know that there are people who don`t look at you like doctors look at their disabled patients is comforting. I want to thank you very much for your work. You really help the people. If you come back, sort of return to the world, it isn`t easy at all to talk to people about this time. Mostly they don`t understand, how could they?
I had just one possibility to get to know another person with a near death experience. And this was so different from mine. I don`t remember anything concerning the accident. And I even lost months of memory before the accident, but I can recall my near death experience. I saw multiple universes in higher dimensions. I`m sorry, I don`t know why I am telling you this. Maybe because I don`t know anyone I could talk to about this. Since I am reading books about the quantum-physical possibility of multiverses I feel a bit reliefed, because I know now, that there`s a scientific explanation for what I saw. But I know that every physicist I`d talk to about this topic would bring me to the booby hatch.
I know, that I was very lucky, that I can think again.
The neurologist couldn`t explain my improvement. Although I have problems remembering things, I want to finish the exams on the university in Munich. It might sound queer, but after I have been hating the woman who ran into me far too fast (and sometimes I still hate her and try not to do it) I thought that following Kant`s categorial imperative and wishing a peaceful earth for everyone, I hope that I can release the hate. And I am grateful that I was able to go through this near death experience.
You give the people hope, information and the feeling that one can talk about the accident. Thank you!
Lisa
alchwarizmi@web.de
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
Brain Injury Association Urges Support for Wounded Warriors Act
From the Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin:
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
Dear Friends:For those not in Wisconsin, your Senators and Congressmen can be found at http://www.senate.gov/ and http://www.house.gov/
Take Action!
Urge Your Senator to Cosponsor The Caring for Wounded Warriors Act of 2008
BIAA (Brain Injury Association of America) has endorsed The Caring for Wounded Warriors Act of 2008 (S. 2921), legislation introduced on Monday, April 28 by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton which would increase support for family caregivers of servicemembers with TBI. Several recommendations made by BIAA during the legislative drafting process were incorporated into the bill.
BIAA encourages you to urge your Senator to sign on as a cosponsor of this important legislation.
The bill would require two pilot programs to be implemented through the Department of Veterans Affairs, improving the resources available to those caring for returning service members with TBI.
The first pilot program, which would provide for training, certification, and compensation for family caregiver personal attendants for veterans and members of the Armed Forces with TBI, is very similar to a provision in last year’s Heroes At Home Act of 2007, which BIAA also strongly endorsed.
The second pilot program would leverage existing partnerships between Veterans Affairs facilities and the nation’s premier universities, training graduate students to provide respite care for families caring for wounded warriors suffering from TBI.
To urge your Senator to become a cosponsor of S. 2921, click on the ‘Take Action’ link in the upper right corner of this email.
The Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin and the Brain Injury Association of America support this legislation.
If you have trouble with the “Take Action” button at the top, please let BIAW know. To “Take Action” visit www.biausa.org. Click on Policy & Legislation, then Legislative Action Center, and then Take Action.
Sincerely yours,
Pat David
Brain Injury Association of WI
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
Brain Injury Association to Hold Caregivers’ Conference
Caregivers’ Conference
The National Brain Injury Caregivers’ conference will be held in Dallas, TX on June 6-8, 2008 at the Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport Hotel. The conference provides, caregivers of a person with a brain injury, support and guidance.
The conference will feature numerous medical professionals, over 25 experts and Lee Woodruff, special guest and best selling author. Lee Woodruff is the wife of Bob Woodruff, who suffered a brain injury in the Iraq War. His story is well chronicled, see for example: http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Story?id=2904214
The conference is presented by The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA). BIAA was founded in 1980, as an organization that supports individuals that are affected or individuals that have someone close that has been affected by a traumatic brain injury, by providing information and education.
Other speakers:
For further information:
http://biausa.org/livingwithbi.htm
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
The National Brain Injury Caregivers’ conference will be held in Dallas, TX on June 6-8, 2008 at the Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport Hotel. The conference provides, caregivers of a person with a brain injury, support and guidance.
The conference will feature numerous medical professionals, over 25 experts and Lee Woodruff, special guest and best selling author. Lee Woodruff is the wife of Bob Woodruff, who suffered a brain injury in the Iraq War. His story is well chronicled, see for example: http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Story?id=2904214
The conference is presented by The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA). BIAA was founded in 1980, as an organization that supports individuals that are affected or individuals that have someone close that has been affected by a traumatic brain injury, by providing information and education.
Other speakers:
Joseph C. Richert
Chair, Brain Injury Association of America
President & CEO, Special Tree Rehabilitation System
Gregory J. O’Shanick, MD
President/Medical Director, Center for Neurorehabilitation and
National Medical Director, Brain Injury Association of America
Thomas Kay, PhD
Director Neuropsychology, Carmel and Associatates
Sarah Wade
Spouse of Injured Veteran
John Corrigan, PhD
Director, Ohio Valley Center for Brain Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation
Michael Howard, PhD
Clinical and Rehabilitation Psychologist, Lecturer
Biomed General Corporation
Janet Tyler, PhD
Director, Kansas TBI Project
Julie Peterson-Shea
Parent of child with brain injury
Lisa Silver
Transition Assistance Advisor, West Virginia National Guard
Peggy Keener
Parent of Person with Brain Injury
Faye Eichholzer
Spouse of Person with Brain Injury
Cheryl Amoruso
Sibling of Person with Brain Injury
Richard P. Bonfiglio, MD
Medical Director, HealthSouth Harmarville
Mike Davis, CBIS-CE
Neurological Case Management Associates
James Mikula, PhD
Neuropsychologist, Private Practice
Carolyn Rocchio
Caregiver of Person with brain injury
Laura Schiebelhut
Director of Public Policy, Brain Injury Association of America
Tim Feeney PhD
Executive Director, School and Community Support Services
Planning for the Transition from School Services to Adulthood
Linda Wilkerson, MSEd
President, Minds Matter LLC
Janet Tyler, PhD
Director, Kansas TBI Project
Visual Changes after Brain Injury
William Padula, OD
Director, Padula Institute of Vision Rehabilitation
Vocational Options After Brain Injury
Brandy Reid
Team Leader/Vocational Evaluator, Pate Rehab Dallas, TX
Kellie Manderfeld
Clinical Manager, Pate Rehab Dallas TX
Bill Ditto
Director, New Jersey Division of Disability Services
Tina Trudel, PhD
President/COO, Lakeview Healthcare Systems, Inc.
Susan H. Connors
President & CEO, Brain Injury Association of America
For further information:
http://biausa.org/livingwithbi.htm
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
TBI Act Signed into Law
From the Brain Injury Association:
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
Brain Injury Association of America
Policy Corner E-Newsletter – May 2, 2008
A weekly update on federal policy activity related to traumatic brain injury
__________________________________________________________________
Dear Advocates:
This week marked a major legislative victory for the brain injury community, as President Bush officially signed into law legislation reauthorizing the TBI Act (S. 793) on Monday, April 28! Congratulations to all BIAA state affiliates, advocates, and national stakeholders who helped make TBI Act reauthorization a reality. To view a copy of BIAA’s official press release applauding this major accomplishment, please visit our website at http://www.biausa.org/policyissues.htm.
In other exciting news, BIAA proudly endorsed The Caring for Wounded Warriors Act of 2008 (S. 2921), legislation introduced on Monday, April 28 by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton which would increase support for family caregivers of servicemembers with TBI. Several recommendations made by BIAA during the legislative drafting process were incorporated into the bill. A copy of BIAA’s Letter of Endorsement for S. 2921 will be available shortly on our website at http://www.biausa.org/policyissues.htm.
Also this week, a report was released by the Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General which found that the VA is not providing the necessary standard of support and long-term follow-up assistance needed by veterans with TBI and their families.
In addition, after the House of Representatives passed by a veto-proof margin last week important legislation which would place a moratorium until March 2009 on several harmful Medicaid regulations (H.R. 5613), the fate of the bill was left up to the Senate. Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) attempted to bring the bill up on the Unanimous Consent Calendar, but this attempt was blocked by Senator Coburn (R-OK). Now there is an effort to get the bill included in the FY 2008 Supplemental Appropriations bill. BIAA continues to strongly endorse H.R. 5613 and supports efforts to include the bill in the FY 2008 Supplemental Appropriations bill.
As a final note, BIAA is waiting to see if Congress will be able to establish a budget this year before sending out its Legislative Action Alert on FY 2009 TBI Appropriations. There is speculation that Congress may indeed be able to achieve a budget agreement in the upcoming next few weeks, and BIAA’s Appropriations Action Alert will be sent out shortly thereafter.
*Distributed by Laura Schiebelhut, BIAA Public Affairs Manager, on behalf of the Brain Injury Association of America; 703-761-0750 ext. 637; lschiebelhut@biausa.org
The Policy Corner is made possible by the Adam Williams Initiative, Centre for Neuro Skills, and Lakeview Healthcare Systems, Inc. The Brain Injury Association of America gratefully acknowledges their support for legislative action.
__________________________________________________________________
President Bush Signs TBI Act Reauthorization Bill Into Law
This week marked a major legislative victory for the brain injury community, as President Bush officially signed into law legislation reauthorizing the TBI Act (S. 793) on Monday, April 28! Congratulations to all BIAA state affiliates, advocates, and national stakeholders who helped make TBI Act reauthorization a reality.
BIAA issued a press release applauding this major accomplishment, noting that achieving successful reauthorization of the TBI Act has been BIAA’s biggest federal legislative priority this year.
BIAA President and CEO Susan Connors said, “TBI is recognized as a signature injury of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The programs authorized by the TBI Act play a critical role in improving the nation’s ability to meet the needs of individuals with brain injury, military and civilian alike.”
This major policy accomplishment simply would not have been possible without the tremendous efforts of BIAA state affiliates, advocates, and collaboration among national stakeholders, as well as the leadership of numerous Members of Congress and the dedicated efforts of their staff members.
In particular, BIAA expresses profound appreciation for the leadership efforts of Senator Edward Kennedy, Senator Orrin Hatch, Representative Bill Pascrell, Representative Todd Platts, Representative John Dingell, and Representative Frank Pallone, all of whom played critical roles in ensuring the progress of this bill.
To view a copy of BIAA’s press release, please visit our website at http://www.biausa.org/policyissues.htm.
BIAA Strongly Endorses The Caring for Wounded Warriors Act of 2008
In other exciting news, BIAA proudly endorsed The Caring for Wounded Warriors Act of 2008 (S. 2921), legislation introduced on Monday, April 28 by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton which would increase support for family caregivers of servicemembers with TBI. Several recommendations made by BIAA during the legislative drafting process were incorporated into the bill.
The bill would require two pilot programs to be implemented through the Department of Veterans Affairs, improving the resources available to those caring for returning servicemembers with TBI.
The first pilot program, which would provide for training, certification and compensation for family caregiver personal attendants for veterans and members of the Armed Forces with TBI, is very similar to a provision in last year’s Heroes At Home Act of 2007 (S. 1065/H.R. 3051), which BIAA also strongly endorsed.
The second pilot program would leverage existing partnerships between Veterans Affairs facilities and the nation’s premier universities, training graduate students to provide respite care for families caring for wounded warriors suffering from TBI.
Note: The legislation specifies that the curricula for the TBI Family Caregiver Personal Care Attendant Training and Certification Program “shall incorporate applicable standards and protocols utilized by certification programs of national brain injury care specialist organizations.” The legislation further specifies that the VA should also use such applicable standards and protocols in providing training for graduate student respite care providers.
A copy of BIAA’s Letter of Endorsement for S. 2921 will be available shortly on our website at http://www.biausa.org/policyissues.htm.
VA Inspector General Releases Report Criticizing TBI Care for Veterans
Also this week, a report was released by the Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General which found that the VA is not providing the necessary standard of support and long-term follow-up assistance needed by veterans with TBI and their families.
The report, which was conducted at Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel Akaka’s (D-HI) request, found specifically; “While case management has improved, long-term case management is not uniformly provided for these patients, and significant needs remain unmet.”
A copy of the report can be found at http://www.va.gov/oig/54/reports/VAOIG-08-01023-119.pdf.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
TBI Act Reauthorization
From the Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin
But how come the tail of the brain injury animal, war injuries, gets all of the research and attention? There are a million Subtle Brain Injuries© a year in the U.S. and perhaps, a few thousand in Iraq. What about all the civilians who have brain injuries? Isn’t it time we did some major research on those most likely to be disabled by brain injuries, those over 40 – especially women over 40, those with prior head injuries and those with co-morbid issues such as other neurologic or emotional disorders?
A Subtle Brain Injury is a complicated synergistic maze. Limiting our research to young jocks and war casualties is not going to enlighten us as to why some people have apparent full recoveries and others never get better. It is not an accident that there is consistently 10-15% of those with concussions who wind up with persistant post concussion syndrome. Let us start screaming louder so that the real pathology in those cases is understood, and treated.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
- TBI Act Reauthorization Update: Last week the US Congress passed legislation to reauthorize the Traumatic Brain Injury Act! The bill appears ready to be sent on to President Bush for his signature. In addition to authorizing ongoing CDC, NIH and HRSA TBI programs, the bill also authorizes a new study by the CDC and NIH in collaboration with the Dept. of Defense and the Dept. of Veterans Affairs to identify the incidence of brain injury among our veterans, especially veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. Again, THANK YOU to all who took time to share their opinions with Congress regarding this legislation during the past year.
But how come the tail of the brain injury animal, war injuries, gets all of the research and attention? There are a million Subtle Brain Injuries© a year in the U.S. and perhaps, a few thousand in Iraq. What about all the civilians who have brain injuries? Isn’t it time we did some major research on those most likely to be disabled by brain injuries, those over 40 – especially women over 40, those with prior head injuries and those with co-morbid issues such as other neurologic or emotional disorders?
A Subtle Brain Injury is a complicated synergistic maze. Limiting our research to young jocks and war casualties is not going to enlighten us as to why some people have apparent full recoveries and others never get better. It is not an accident that there is consistently 10-15% of those with concussions who wind up with persistant post concussion syndrome. Let us start screaming louder so that the real pathology in those cases is understood, and treated.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
In Memoriam Bryant Jennett – Glasgow Coma Scale Author
In general, brain injury research and work is a pretty anonymous field. I can rattle off a bunch of names of researchers, but even most defense experts have never heard of many of these people. One of the names that almost everyone in the brain injury field has heard is Bryan Jennett. If they haven’t heard of him, they have heard of his most famous work: the Glasgow Coma Scale, commonly referred to as the GCS. The GCS score is the most single common denominator in all of head injury diagnosis, and any cursory review of a brain injury medical record will have a GCS score on it.
Bryan Jennett, CBE, M.D., the brain injury expert of Glasgow, Scotland, died on 16 February 2008. For a nice treatment on Dr. Jennett click here. The North East Center also includes a nice comment on his work on such link by Nathan Zasler, M.D. that is worth reading – Reflections on the Life and Work of William Bryan Jennett, CBE, M.D., FRCS. Dr. Zasler had this to say about Dr. Jennett:
“During his career, Dr. Jennett not only distinguished himself as a clinician and scholar but lectured and wrote extensively on issues relating to brain injury.
“He remained one of the driving forces behind some of the more recent international work in the area of disorders of consciousness over the last 15 years. What was most amazing was Dr. Jennett’s ability to look back on his own work and be constructively critical of it, including acknowledging some of the limitations of his own thinking. He continued to provide encouragement to other clinicians to pursue further honing of our collective understanding of the complexities of both assessment and management of this special population of persons with acquired brain injury.”
Only if this generation of doctors, scholars and researchers can share Dr. Jennett’s passion and vision for the future of brain injury research, will the advocacy that propelled Dr. Jennett’s career, be fulfilled. I hope his death reminds the medical community of that what we don’t know about brain injury is infinitely greater than what we know. Research on…
Next: the GCS score. What it tells us and what it does not.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
Bryan Jennett, CBE, M.D., the brain injury expert of Glasgow, Scotland, died on 16 February 2008. For a nice treatment on Dr. Jennett click here. The North East Center also includes a nice comment on his work on such link by Nathan Zasler, M.D. that is worth reading – Reflections on the Life and Work of William Bryan Jennett, CBE, M.D., FRCS. Dr. Zasler had this to say about Dr. Jennett:
“During his career, Dr. Jennett not only distinguished himself as a clinician and scholar but lectured and wrote extensively on issues relating to brain injury.
“He remained one of the driving forces behind some of the more recent international work in the area of disorders of consciousness over the last 15 years. What was most amazing was Dr. Jennett’s ability to look back on his own work and be constructively critical of it, including acknowledging some of the limitations of his own thinking. He continued to provide encouragement to other clinicians to pursue further honing of our collective understanding of the complexities of both assessment and management of this special population of persons with acquired brain injury.”
Only if this generation of doctors, scholars and researchers can share Dr. Jennett’s passion and vision for the future of brain injury research, will the advocacy that propelled Dr. Jennett’s career, be fulfilled. I hope his death reminds the medical community of that what we don’t know about brain injury is infinitely greater than what we know. Research on…
Next: the GCS score. What it tells us and what it does not.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
EDITORS NOTE: From the Brain Injury Association of America:
Attorney Gordon Johnson
http://subtlebraininjury.com
http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com
http://vestibulardisorder.com
http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
g@gordonjohnson.com
800-992-9447
Brain Injury Association of America
Policy Corner E-Newsletter – April 4, 2008
A weekly update on federal policy activity related to traumatic brain injury
__________________________________________________________________
Dear Advocates:
This week BIAA submitted written testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee in charge of funding TBI programs within the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education, urging an increase in Fiscal Year 2009 funding for TBI programs.
On Wednesday, April 2, the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on TBI Related Vision Issues, which highlighted the high rate of vision disturbances in cases of servicemembers returing from Iraq and Afghanistan with TBI.
Also this week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on H.R. 5613, legislation recently introduced which would place a moratorium until March 2009 on seven Medicaid regulations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services. BIAA has endorsed this legislation, and signed a letter of support spearheaded by the Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) in favor of the legislation.
Unfortunately, no activity occurred this week on H.R. 1418, the House version of legislation to reauthorize the TBI Act, which was passed by the House Energy and Commerce Act on March 13, 2008. BIAA will continue to advocate strongly for floor consideration of the bill by the entire House of Representatives and full passage by Congress into law as quickly as possible.
*Distributed by Laura Schiebelhut, BIAA Public Affairs Manager, on behalf of the Brain Injury Association of America; 703-761-0750 ext. 637; lschiebelhut@biausa.org
The Policy Corner is made possible by the Adam Williams Initiative, Centre for Neuro Skills, and Lakeview Healthcare Systems, Inc. The Brain Injury Association of America gratefully acknowledges their support for legislative action.
__________________________________________________________________
BIAA Submits Testimony to House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee
This week BIAA submitted written testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee in charge of funding TBI programs within the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education. BIAA’s testimony urges an increase in Fiscal Year 2009 funding for programs authorized through the TBI Act, as well as for TBI research programs conducted within the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).
In the testimony, BIAA’s President and CEO Susan H. Connors states, “BIAA was gravely disappointed that last year, even as Congress had the good judgment to add hundreds of millions dollars to the budgets of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to help address the problem of TBI among returning servicemembers, funding for the HRSA Federal TBI Program was reduced from $8.91 million to $8.754 million.”
Within the testimony, BIAA requests $30 million in funding for programs authorized through the TBI Act, as well as sufficient funding to sustain and increase medical rehabilitation research within NIDRR. The testimony also urges an allocation of at least $8.3 million to allow NIDRR to continue to fund 16 TBI Model Systems research centers.A copy of the testimony can be obtained by visiting BIAA’s website at the following address: http://www.biausa.org/policyissues.htm.
House VA Subcommittee Holds Hearing on TBI And Vision Problems
On Wednesday, April 2, the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on TBI Related Vision Issues.
Testimony highlighted the high rate of vision disturbances in cases of servicemembers returing from Iraq and Afghanistan with TBI, and the need for a seamless system of care within the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs to address these eye injuries, including greater use of specialized vision screening.
In the hearing, the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) noted research showing that 75 percent of servicemembers with documented TBI injuries also have complaints about vision problems, and that approximately 60 percent of those injured have associated neurological visual disorders. A study conducted by one of the panelists, Gregory L. Goodrich, who is a research psychologist at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, found that both Polytrauma Level I and Level II patients had high rates of visual impairment and/or visual dysfunction, and that injuries caused by a blast event were associated with more vision related loss and/or deficits than other causes.
In his testimony, Tom Zampieri, Director of Government Relations at BVA, asserted, “At present the current system of screening, treatment, tracking, and follow-up care for TBI vision dysfunction is inadequate. Adding visual dysfunction to this complex mix, especially if undiagnosed, makes attempts at rehabilitation even more daunting and potentially disastrous unless there are significant improvements soon.”
Mr. Zampieri urged the Subcommittee to request that DoD/VA provide for the full implementation of the “Military Eye Trauma Center of Excellence and Eye Trauma Registry,” which was recently authorized as one of the Wounded Warrior provisions in last year’s defense authorization bill (H.R. 4986). BIAA has officially endorsed legislation (S. 1999) to create such a Center.
BIAA Supports Bill to Enact Moratorium on Harmful Medicaid Regulations
Also this week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on H.R. 5613, legislation recently introduced which would place a moratorium until March 2009 on seven Medicaid regulations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services. BIAA has endorsed this legislation, and signed a letter of support spearheaded by the Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) in favor of the legislation.
The legislation, which was introduced by Representatives John D. Dingell (D-MI) and Tim Murphy (R-PA) on March 13, 2008, would delay the implementation of seven harmful Medicaid regulations through March 2009, including several rules which would be especially deleterious to individuals with traumatic brain injury.
One of these rules would limit rehabilitation services for Medicaid beneficiaries, severely curtailing the ability of people with disabilities – including TBI – to receive rehabilitation services now covered under Medicaid. Access to these rehabilitative services is essential, as in many cases, these services play a vital role in allowing people with TBI to live independently in the community.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
Attorney Gordon Johnson
http://subtlebraininjury.com
http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com
http://vestibulardisorder.com
http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney
g@gordonjohnson.com
800-992-9447
Brain Injury Association of America
Policy Corner E-Newsletter – April 4, 2008
A weekly update on federal policy activity related to traumatic brain injury
__________________________________________________________________
Dear Advocates:
This week BIAA submitted written testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee in charge of funding TBI programs within the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education, urging an increase in Fiscal Year 2009 funding for TBI programs.
On Wednesday, April 2, the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on TBI Related Vision Issues, which highlighted the high rate of vision disturbances in cases of servicemembers returing from Iraq and Afghanistan with TBI.
Also this week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on H.R. 5613, legislation recently introduced which would place a moratorium until March 2009 on seven Medicaid regulations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services. BIAA has endorsed this legislation, and signed a letter of support spearheaded by the Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) in favor of the legislation.
Unfortunately, no activity occurred this week on H.R. 1418, the House version of legislation to reauthorize the TBI Act, which was passed by the House Energy and Commerce Act on March 13, 2008. BIAA will continue to advocate strongly for floor consideration of the bill by the entire House of Representatives and full passage by Congress into law as quickly as possible.
*Distributed by Laura Schiebelhut, BIAA Public Affairs Manager, on behalf of the Brain Injury Association of America; 703-761-0750 ext. 637; lschiebelhut@biausa.org
The Policy Corner is made possible by the Adam Williams Initiative, Centre for Neuro Skills, and Lakeview Healthcare Systems, Inc. The Brain Injury Association of America gratefully acknowledges their support for legislative action.
__________________________________________________________________
BIAA Submits Testimony to House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee
This week BIAA submitted written testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee in charge of funding TBI programs within the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education. BIAA’s testimony urges an increase in Fiscal Year 2009 funding for programs authorized through the TBI Act, as well as for TBI research programs conducted within the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).
In the testimony, BIAA’s President and CEO Susan H. Connors states, “BIAA was gravely disappointed that last year, even as Congress had the good judgment to add hundreds of millions dollars to the budgets of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to help address the problem of TBI among returning servicemembers, funding for the HRSA Federal TBI Program was reduced from $8.91 million to $8.754 million.”
Within the testimony, BIAA requests $30 million in funding for programs authorized through the TBI Act, as well as sufficient funding to sustain and increase medical rehabilitation research within NIDRR. The testimony also urges an allocation of at least $8.3 million to allow NIDRR to continue to fund 16 TBI Model Systems research centers.A copy of the testimony can be obtained by visiting BIAA’s website at the following address: http://www.biausa.org/policyissues.htm.
House VA Subcommittee Holds Hearing on TBI And Vision Problems
On Wednesday, April 2, the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on TBI Related Vision Issues.
Testimony highlighted the high rate of vision disturbances in cases of servicemembers returing from Iraq and Afghanistan with TBI, and the need for a seamless system of care within the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs to address these eye injuries, including greater use of specialized vision screening.
In the hearing, the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) noted research showing that 75 percent of servicemembers with documented TBI injuries also have complaints about vision problems, and that approximately 60 percent of those injured have associated neurological visual disorders. A study conducted by one of the panelists, Gregory L. Goodrich, who is a research psychologist at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, found that both Polytrauma Level I and Level II patients had high rates of visual impairment and/or visual dysfunction, and that injuries caused by a blast event were associated with more vision related loss and/or deficits than other causes.
In his testimony, Tom Zampieri, Director of Government Relations at BVA, asserted, “At present the current system of screening, treatment, tracking, and follow-up care for TBI vision dysfunction is inadequate. Adding visual dysfunction to this complex mix, especially if undiagnosed, makes attempts at rehabilitation even more daunting and potentially disastrous unless there are significant improvements soon.”
Mr. Zampieri urged the Subcommittee to request that DoD/VA provide for the full implementation of the “Military Eye Trauma Center of Excellence and Eye Trauma Registry,” which was recently authorized as one of the Wounded Warrior provisions in last year’s defense authorization bill (H.R. 4986). BIAA has officially endorsed legislation (S. 1999) to create such a Center.
BIAA Supports Bill to Enact Moratorium on Harmful Medicaid Regulations
Also this week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on H.R. 5613, legislation recently introduced which would place a moratorium until March 2009 on seven Medicaid regulations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services. BIAA has endorsed this legislation, and signed a letter of support spearheaded by the Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) in favor of the legislation.
The legislation, which was introduced by Representatives John D. Dingell (D-MI) and Tim Murphy (R-PA) on March 13, 2008, would delay the implementation of seven harmful Medicaid regulations through March 2009, including several rules which would be especially deleterious to individuals with traumatic brain injury.
One of these rules would limit rehabilitation services for Medicaid beneficiaries, severely curtailing the ability of people with disabilities – including TBI – to receive rehabilitation services now covered under Medicaid. Access to these rehabilitative services is essential, as in many cases, these services play a vital role in allowing people with TBI to live independently in the community.
Attorney Gordon Johnson
Chair Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group, American Association of Justice
g@gordonjohnson.com :: 800-992-9447 :: Attorney Gordon S. Johnson, Jr.
http://subtlebraininjury.com :: http://brainanatomyguide.com :: http://car-accident-rain.com :: http://tbilaw.com
http://waiting.com :: http://vestibulardisorder.com :: http://youtube.com/profile?user=braininjuryattorney