S. 1440 Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabiltiation Act of 2005

S. 1440/ HR 4824 Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation Act of 2005

Senators Mike Crapo (ID) and Blanche Lincoln (AR) have introduced S. 1440 and Representative Charles Pickering (MS) has introduced the companion bill HR 4824 to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure full and uniform Medicare coverage for both cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services. The reasons for this amendment and its importance to us are outlined in the sample letter following.

As of 9/18/06, the following 23 Senators and 43 Representatives have signed on as sponsors/cosponsors:

S 1440 (Senate Bill)	HR 4824 (House Bill)
Boxer, Barbara [CA]	Allen, Thomas H. [ME-1]	Lewis, John [GA-5]
Bunning, Jim [KY]	Andrews, Robert E. [NJ-1]	LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2]
Burns, Conrad R. [MT]	Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [GA-2]	Marshall, Jim [GA-3]
Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY]	Bono, Mary [CA]	McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11]
Collins, Susan M. [ME]	Boucher, Rick [VA-9]	McNulty, Michael R. [NY-21]
Conrad, Kent [ND]	Capps, Lois [CA-23]	Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2]
Crapo, Mike [ID] (SPONSOR)	Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14]	Moore, Dennis [KS-3]
Dayton, Mark [MN]	Emanuel, Rahm [IL-5]	Pitts, Joseph R. [PA-16]
Dorgan, Byron L. [ND]	Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17]	Platts, Todd Russell [PA-19]
Durbin, Richard [IL]	English, Phil [PA-3]	Pickering, Charles W [MS-3] (SPONSOR)
Jeffords, James M. [VT]	Fitzpatrick, Michael G. [PA-8]	Pomeroy, Earl [ND]
Johnson, Tim [SD]	Frank, Barney [MA-4]	Price, David E. [NC-4]
Kyl, Jon [AZ]	Gerlach, Jim [PA-6]	Saxton, Jim [NJ-3]
Lincoln, Blanche L. [AR]	Gillmor, Paul E. [OH-5]	Shadegg, John B. [AZ-3]
Lott, Trent [MS]	Gordon, Bart [TN-6]	Shimkus, John [IL-19]
Menendez, Robert [NJ]	Hart, Melissa A. [PA-4]	Snyder, Vic [AR-2]
Mikulski, Barbara A. [MD]	Herseth, Stephanie [SD]	Terry, Lee [NE-2]
Murray, Patty [WA]	Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22]	Wexler, Robert [FL-19]
Pryor, Mark L. [AR]	Holden, Tim [PA-17]
Roberts, Pat [KS]	Jefferson, William J. [LA-2]
Santorum, Rick [PA]	Jindal, Bobby [LA-1]
Schumer, Charles E. [NY]	Kind, Ron [WI-3]
Snowe, Olympia J. [ME]	Leach, James A. [IA-2]

We ask that each of you write any of your own Senators and Representatives not on the above lists and ask their support for these bills. Compose your own letter or use the sample letter here. (Your family and friends can help, too.) It's easily done. Here's how:

1. Go to http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/

2. Ignore any opening ad. Enter your Zip Code and click on "GO".
3. Click on "Compose Your Own Message".
4. Click once to remove the checkmark in front of "George W. Bush, President" (no use sending him the letter - only Congress can act).

5. As your subject, paste in: S. 1440/ HR 4824 "Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation Act of 2005
6. As your message, type in your own, or paste in the following:
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I am asking that you cosponsor and/or support S. 1440/ HR 4824 "Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation Act of 2005".

I am a member of EFFORTS (http://www.emphysema.net/ ) and one of millions of US citizens suffering from emphysema and/or chronic bronchitis - chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases for which there are currently no cures. However, there is a treatment program that can slow the progression of these diseases, restore or improve functionality and quality of life, and minimize the number, length, and cost of hospitalizations and emergency room visits that inevitably occur without that program. That program is commonly called pulmonary rehabilitation.

Most private medical insurers provide coverage for it. And, for many years prior to August 2000 Medicare also covered this program. In fact, in defining current best practice for the NETT study ( the combined Medicare/NIH study of lung volume reduction surgery), Medicare mandated it as an essential part of the treatment for all patients in the study.

However, in August 2000 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) discontinued full coverage except for the NETT study. Although they did not question the medical value of the program, they concluded that it could not be covered by Medicare because they believed it lacked clear statutory authorization - that is, unlike certain other preventive medical services, coverage for this (partially) preventive service is not specifically authorized in the Medicare enabling statute (Title XVIII of the Social Security Act). Since that time, they have covered only selected portions of the program, and even then only with local variations specified in the many local Medical Review Policies.

I am asking for your help in promptly restoring full and uniform access to pulmonary rehabilitation for all medically qualified Medicare beneficiaries by amending Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make it clear that it is Congress’ intent to cover this program. This action should not result in any net new Medicare costs - it simply restores the pre-2000 level of Medicare coverage.

Please cosponsor and/or support S. 1440/ HR 4824, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide clearly authorized coverage for cardiac rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation services. Your support can assure the availability of pulmonary rehabilitation to all current and future sufferers of pulmonary diseases when their physicians determine such rehabilitation would be medically appropriate.
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7. Fill in the blanks with the information about yourself.
8. Enter the "Capwiz Authentication" numbers as requested.

9. Click on the "Send Message" button.

That's it! You have just written to both of your US Senators and your Representative . Now, please drop a note to fbarrettao@aol.com so we can add your letters to our count. And thank you very much for your participation!

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