Apr 08, 2009
Northern California Chapter Wins Excellence in Advocacy Award
The Northern California Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s was recently recognized for its leadership in mobilizing activists as leaders in health care reform and was granted an award for Excellence in Activism at the Society’s National Public Policy Conference.
These principles, which were initially drafted by key advocates in the Northern California Chapter, including Stewart Ferry, California Statewide Director of Advocacy and Tammy Pilisuk, Government Relations Committee Chair have been adopted by the entire Society and were presented to key members of the U.S. House and Senate and to key members of President Obama heath care advisory staff during the Society’s recent National Public Policy Conference in Washington, DC. The National MS Society is one of the first national organizations to produce comprehensive heath care reform principles which support:
1. Accessible health care coverage
2. Affordable health care services and coverage
3. Standards for coverage of specific treatments
4. Elimination of disparities in care
5. Comprehensive, quality health care available to all
6. Increased value of health care
7. Access to high-quality, long-term supports and services
People living with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other chronic conditions or disabilities are particularly vulnerable in our current system. A chronic disease such as MS means extra reliance on health care services in order to maintain or cope with the effectives of a deteriorating condition.
“I could not have been more pleased that health care reform has become a top advocacy priority for the Society in 2009,” says Tammy Pilisuk, Government Relations Committee Chair for the Northern California Chapter and co-author of the Society’s Heath Care Reform Principles. “For over 20 years I have worked to advocate on behalf of those living with MS, a disease my mom has had since before I was born, and it’s essential that the needs of those living with MS and other chronic diseases and disabilities are not forgotten as the U.S. Congress grapples with comprehensive heath care reform.”
In addition to the work the Chapter has done to support national heath care reform, the Northern California Chapter was recognized for its work on the state level. MS Advocates from the Chapter have tirelessly worked on behalf of people living with MS in the State of California and have emerged as leaders in the state health care reform debate. In 2009, advocacy priorities for the Northern California chapter include:
- Protection of the Medi-Cal safety net ensuring that the state government does not cut services such as dental care, optometry, incontinent creams and washes, speech therapy and psychology and podiatry. It is also crucial to maintain current eligibility requirements for In-Home Supportive Services as well as Medi-Cal provider rates.
- Support of Assembly Bill AB 214 (introduced by Assembly Member Wesley Chesbro) This state legislation will require health insurers to provide coverage of “durable medical equipment” (DME) in group and individual plans, and prevent plans from placing special benefit limits on DME.
- Sponsor of the Safe Sharps Disposal Bill S486 (introduced by State Senator Joe Simitian) that will ensure that everyone in the state has access to convenient and affordable disposal options for all needles.
To receive a full copy of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s National Heath Care Reform Principles, visit www.msconnection.org/advocacy or contact Julie Legrand at 415-230-6678 x 2016 or julie.legrand@nmss.org.
About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system, interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S. and over 2.1 million worldwide.
About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS. In 2007 alone, through our home office and 50 state network of chapters, we devoted over $136 million to programs that enhanced more than one million lives. To move us closer to a world free of MS, the Society also invested over $50 million to support 440 research projects around the world. We are people who want to do something about MS NOW. Join the movement at www.nationalMSsociety.org
About the Northern California Chapter of the National MS Society
The Northern California Chapter of the National MS Society provides vital programs and services to more than 20,000 people living with multiple sclerosis in its 40 county region and funds critical research projects to help develop better treatments and find a cure. The National MS Society is currently funding over $12.6 million in grants to institutions in Northern California. The Chapter is also a leading advocate for Californian’s living with MS at the federal, state and local levels. www.msconnection.org
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