ACA Calls on Activists to Mobilize

By Morgan Sheets

Second annual lobby day to be held in Washington DC, March 9 and 10.

During the recent election cycle, much was made of our country's healthcare crisis. Its challenges are certainly felt by many of the almost two million amputees across the United States who are facing their own personal healthcare crisis in the form of restrictions, limitations, and exemptions on their prosthetic-care coverage.

Last June, amputees from around the country, along with their supporters, met with their House and Senate members in Washington DC to participate in the first Lobby Day in support of the Federal Prosthetic Parity Act of 2008. We must continue to mobilize our activists to demonstrate the need and support behind our legislative initiatives. We are excited to bring our activists together in Washington DC for the Amputee Coalition of America's (ACA) second annual lobby day on March 9 and 10. We are calling on ACA supporters to mark their calendars and join us for this important event.

While we have a great foundation of legislative progress and experience, it is our grassroots support that will ensure our success. Amputees are being refused the insurance benefits they need to live active and productive lives. Coverage is variable and oftentimes inadequate to meet individual needs. The ACA is committed to tackling these issues head-on through legislative remedies, as well as by playing a role in the larger debate around healthcare reform.

In order to meet the needs of our members, the ACA is working to expand and diversify its legislative agenda. The ACA will continue to advance prosthetic parity legislation at the state and federal levels in order to create a consistent standard of coverage in private insurance plans. We are calling on lawmakers to promote policies and regulations that ensure access to care in government health programs, which includes addressing Medicare's two-year waiting period and "in-home" restriction on assistive devices.

For more information on the second annual lobby day, e-mail or call 202.742.1886.

Morgan Sheets is the national advocacy director for ACA's Action Plan for People with Limb Loss (APPLL) initiative. She can be reached at . For more information, visit www.amputee-coalition.org/advocacy/index.html

	ACA Calls on Congress to Eliminate Medicare Wait - January 2009 Progress on Parity
	Bipartisan Bill Introduced in U.S. Senate - October 2008 Progress on Parity
	Exercise Your Right to Vote - September 2008 Progress on Parity
	Summer Fun...Parity Style - August 2008 Progress on Parity
	Putting Values into Action - July 2008 Progress on Parity
	Victories Fueling the Fight in Congress - May 2008 Progress on Parity
	Connecticut Amputees Rally for Prosthetic Coverage - April 2008 Progress on Parity
	Virginia Pulls Out All the Stops - March 2008 Progress on Parity

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