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| Morgan Sheets |
On September 16, amputees from as far away as North Dakota and Montana joined local activists at a Washington DC "lobby day" organized by the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) along with its partners, the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (AOPA) and Hanger Orthopedic Group, Bethesda, Maryland. The groups called on elected officials to include fair insurance coverage for prosthetic arms and legs in healthcare reform. They also called for continued inclusion of language to preclude insurance denials due to pre-existing conditions, and they supported creating a comprehensive health-disparities category to ensure equity and accountability in advancing coverage.
Ginger Driscoll of Essex, Maryland, travelled to DC with her 11-year-old son, Brendan, who is an amputee. "Brendan and I were inspired by the gracious welcome he received on Capitol Hill," she said. "It was moving to hear our own Representative Tierney ask the same questions we ask at our dinner table every day. This experience gives us hope that prosthetic parity can be accomplished."
John Caputo, CO, incoming president of the New Jersey chapter of AOPA, said, "As a licensed orthotist and business owner, I see every day the very real, positive impact we make in people's lives. The successes we achieve daily should be available to all patients and not be dependent on coverage restrictions. Good, quality medical care may cost more in the short-term, but in the long-term it saves money."
These are the voices of just some of the activists who attended the lobby day, and just a small sample of the people all over the country who are actively involved in pushing for access to care. We now have 17 parity laws on the books. We are making a difference. We will continue to do so with the help of our many dedicated activists.
Morgan Sheets is the director of government relations for the Amputee Coalition of America. She can be reached at . For more information, visit www.armsandlegsarenotaluxury.com
