Dear Advocates:
BIAA issued a press release today urging both presidential candidates to attend the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall and engage in an in-depth discussion of the increasingly complex issues facing America’s military and veterans community, including the rate of traumatic brain injury among returning service members. BIAA is a member of the 2008 Forth Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium, and the event is tentatively scheduled to occur on August 11, 2008.
In other news, in a welcome and surprising turn of events this week, the Senate voted by a veto-proof margin to pass a key Medicare bill (H.R. 6311), which the House and Senate had previously been unable to agree on before the July Fourth congressional recess. The final Medicare package, which will prevent deep cuts in Medicare payment rates for physicians which had been scheduled to begin on July 1, was previously passed by the House on June 24.
The Medicare bill also contains important delays in the implementation of Medicare’s competitive bidding program for Durable Medical Equipment (DME), and an extension of the Medicare outpatient therapy cap exceptions process.
It is anticipated that President Bush will veto the bill, however, and although the Senate passed the bill with a veto-proof margin earlier this week, the White House needs only three Senators to switch their votes in order for a veto override to fail. Thus, it is extremely important that advocates visit BIAA’s Legislative Action Center to take action TODAY to urge their Senator to vote to override the President’s expected veto. To do so, please visit http://capwiz.com/bia/callalert/index.tt?alertid=11604356.
The Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations process to be stalled, as the House Appropriations Committee does not plan on marking up any more bills this summer after a partisan dispute erupted in recent weeks over amendments on energy policy. And while the Senate Appropriations Committee plans to have all 12 of its bills approved by the panel by the end of this month, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said this week that action on appropriations in his chamber will be very limited during the next few months.
*Distributed by Laura Schiebelhut, BIAA Director of Government Affairs, on behalf of the Brain Injury Association of America; 703-761-0750 ext. 637; lschiebelhut@biausa.org
BIAA’s Policy Corner and Legislative Action Alerts are made possible by the Centre for Neuro Skills, James F. Humphreys & Associates, and Lakeview Healthcare Systems, Inc. The Brain Injury Association of America gratefully acknowledges their support for legislative action.
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BIAA Urges Presidential Candidates to Participate in Fort Hood Town Hall Event
BIAA issued a press release today urging both presidential candidates to attend the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall and engage in an in-depth discussion of the increasingly complex issues facing America’s military and veterans community, including the rate of traumatic brain injury among returning service members. BIAA is a member of the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium, and the event is tentatively scheduled to occur on August 11, 2008.
The Consortium planning the event includes a diverse group of military, veterans and community-service organizations, including Disabled Veterans of America, the Brain Injury Association of America, and Sentinels of Freedom. These groups are working in partnership with the military, the Department of Veterans Affairs, state and local governments, and faith and community-based organizations to deliver services and support to our military, veterans and families.
In the press release, BIAA President and CEO Susan H. Connors states, “Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common consequence of any war. TBI is recognized as the ‘signature wound’ of the current conflict; yet, accessing the right treatment, right now remains a challenge for many wounded service members and veterans. Our troops and the millions of civilians who sustain TBIs here at home need proper screening and diagnosis, expert rehabilitation, and ongoing community-based services. Family caregivers need information, training and support, and voters everywhere need to let the presidential candidates know where we stand.”
To view BIAA’s press release in its entirety, please visit our website at http://www.biausa.org/policyissues.htm.
Surprise Appearance By Senator Kennedy Pushes Senate to Pass Medicare Bill
In a welcome and surprising turn of events this week, the Senate voted by a veto-proof margin of 69-30 to pass a key Medicare bill (H.R. 6311), after a unexpected, dramatic appearance and “aye” vote by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) on Wednesday. Sen. Kennedy had not been in the Capitol for six weeks, as he is recovering from surgery in early June to remove a malignant brain tumor.
The House and Senate had previously been unable to agree on a Medicare package before the July Fourth congressional recess. The final Medicare bill, which would prevent deep cuts in Medicare payment rates for physicians which had been scheduled to begin on July 1, was overwhelmingly passed by the House on June 24, but before Senator Kennedy’s appearance had been unable to gain Senate passage.
In addition to replacing a 10.6 percent cut to Medicare’s physician payment rates with 18 months of stable payments, the Medicare bill also contains an 18-month delay in implementation of Medicare’s competitive bidding program for Durable Medical Equipment (DME), as well as an 18-month extension of the Medicare outpatient therapy cap exceptions process.
It is anticipated that President Bush will veto the bill, however, and although the Senate passed the bill with a veto-proof margin earlier this week, the White House needs only three Senators to switch their votes in order for a veto override to fail. If the President delays acting on the bill, or Congress is unable to override an expected veto, the physician payment cuts and DME competitive bidding program will go into effect, and the outpatient therapy caps exceptions process will continue to be expired (as of June 30, 2008). Thus, it is extremely important that advocates visit BIAA’s Legislative Action Center to take action TODAY to urge their Senator to vote to override the President’s expected veto. To do so, please visit http://capwiz.com/bia/callalert/index.tt?alertid=11604356.
Fiscal 2009 Appropriations Process Still Stalled
The Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations process continues to be stalled, as the House Appropriations Committee does not plan on marking up any more bills this summer after a partisan dispute erupted in recent weeks over amendments on energy policy. And while the Senate Appropriations Committee plans to have all 12 of its bills approved by the panel by the end of this month, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said this week that action on appropriations in his chamber will be very limited in the next few months.
There continues to be widespread speculation that this year’s appropriations process will eventually become stagnant this fall, as Democrats may wait for the president to leave office before completing work on the funding bills in order to avert a promised veto.
CQ Today reported earlier this week, “Reid (D-Nev.) said his chamber will likely consider, at the most, two fiscal 2009 appropriations bills this year before passing a continuing resolution (CR) in September that would keep the government funded at current levels into early next calendar year, when a new president takes office. The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1” (CQ Today, David Clarke, 7/10/08).
The full Senate Appropriations Committee has approved the Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education funding bill, which provides the same funding amounts for several TBI programs as last year. This includes $5.7 million for TBI programming within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and $8.754 million for the HRSA TBI State Grant Program.
The House Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education Appropriations funding bill has only been passed by the House Subcommittee and not the full House Appropriations Committee. The House Subcommittee markup contains increased funding for some federal TBI programs compared to last year. The bill includes $11 million for the HRSA TBI State Grant Program (+$2.246 million over last year) and $6.6 million for TBI programming within CDC (+$0.9 million over last year).
We agree that one of the most pressing issues for the next administration, is better care for returning vets, and also for all brain injury survivors.
