7/31/00:
<p>

AAMFT Needs Your Help!
<p>

ISSUE:
Calls, Letters, E-Mails, and Meetings with Members of Congress needed in support 
of MFT recognition in Medicare.
<p>

BACKGROUND:
Congress is expected to take up Medicare legislation addressing refinements of 
the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 in September.  In addition, Congress is 
considering legislation to establish prescription drug coverage for Medicare 
beneficiaries.  Any legislative action this year on Medicare-related legislation 
 presents an opportunity for MFTs to obtain recognition under Medicare.  
<p>

Representatives Nathan Deal (R-GA) and Ted Strickland (D-OH) introduced H.R. 
2945, the Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act, at the end of last year. 
 The bill provides reimbursement for services provided under Medicare Part B, 
and in rural health and hospice programs.  Since the introduction of H.R. 2945, 
numerous Republicans and Democrats have signed on as cosponsors to the bill - 
a complete list is provided at the end of this message.  We are looking for additional 
cosponsors, as well as a lead Senate sponsor to introduce the same legislation 
in the United States Senate.  
<p>

The House and Senate are in recess until September 4.  Please schedule meetings 
with your Representative and Senators in their district/state offices while they 
are home during the August recess.    There is nothing more effective than a 
face-to-face visit with your Member of Congress.  To schedule an appointment, 
you will need to contact the local office of your Representative and Senators. 
 <p>


ACTION:
Please call, write, and e-mail your Representative and Senators as soon as possible 
to request a meeting and their support of recognition of MFTs in any Medicare-related 
legislation this year. We prepared a suggested message for you and encourage 
you to personalize the message as much as possible. Before you contact your Representative, 
check the list of cosponsors to determine which message to use.  The phone number 
for the Capitol Switchboard is (202) 224-3121; ask for your Senator or Representative 
by first and last name.  When the operator connects you to the member's office, 
ask to speak with the staff person that handles health care issues.  
<p>

You may e-mail your Representative and Senators by going to AAMFT's website (www.aamft.org). 
 To do so, log in to the Members Only section and select the "Policy and Advocacy" 
link.  Find and select the Legislative Update on H.R. 2945.  Follow the instructions 
in the update for sending an e-mail, printing a letter, or finding your Representative.
<p>

Following are three versions of AAMFT's recommended message.  Please select the 
one most appropriate for your Representative or Senators.
<p>

YOUR MESSAGE IF YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IS NOT A COSPONSOR OF H.R. 2945 (see end 
of message for list of Cosponsors)<p>


"As a constituent and a marriage and family therapist in your district, I urge 
you to cosponsor H.R. 2945, the Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act 
and to support its inclusion in any Medicare-related legislation.  H.R. 2945 
benefits Medicare beneficiaries by increasing access and choice in obtaining 
mental health services, particularly in rural areas where there is a shortage 
of mental health professionals. Your support of my request is most appreciated."
<p>

YOUR MESSAGE IF YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IS A COSPONDOR OF H.R. 2945 (see end of message 
for list of Cosponsors)
"As a constituent and a marriage and family therapist in your district, I want 
to thank you for cosponsoring H.R. 2945, the Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement 
Act.  I deeply appreciate your support and ask that you further support the inclusion 
of H.R. 2945 in any Medicare-related legislation that is considered this year. 
 H.R. 2945 benefits Medicare beneficiaries by increasing access and choice in 
obtaining mental health services, particularly in rural areas where there is 
a shortage of mental health professionals.  Your ongoing support is most appreciated."
    <p>

YOUR MESSAGE FOR YOUR SENATORS:
"As a constituent and a marriage and family therapist in (name of the city where 
you reside or practice), I urge you to introduce legislation in the Senate to 
recognize marriage and family therapists in Medicare and to support the inclusion 
of this recognition in any Medicare-related legislation this year.
<p>

"The Archives of General Psychiatry projects that the number of people over 65 
years with psychiatric disorders will increase from about 4 million in 1970 to 
15 million in 2030.  It also indicates that the current health care system is 
unprepared to meet the upcoming crisis in geriatric mental health.  Authorizing 
licensed marriage and family therapists to provide services under the Medicare 
program will help meet the needs of this expanding population. <p>
 In addition, 
it will benefit Medicare beneficiaries by increasing access and choice in obtaining 
mental health services.  Thank you for your support of this proposal as the Senate 
considers Medicare legislation this year."
<p>

H.R. 2945 Cosponsors (As of July 28, 2000)
<p>

Rep Deal, Nathan (R-GA)*
Rep Strickland, Ted (D-OH)*

Rep Abercrombie, Neil (D-HI)
Rep Baldacci, John Elias (D-ME)
Rep Bentsen, Ken (D-TX)
Rep Berman, Howard L. (D-CA)
Rep Bilbray, Brian P. (R-CA)
Rep Blumenauer, Earl (D-OR)
Rep Burr, Richard (R-NC)
Rep Calvert, Ken (R-CA)
Rep Capps, Lois (D-CA)
Rep Cubin, Barbara (R-WY)
Rep Cunningham, Randy (Duke) (R-CA)
Rep DeFazio, Peter A. (D-OR)
Rep Dixon, Julian C. (D-CA)
Rep Eshoo, Anna G. (D-CA)
Rep Filner, Bob (D-CA)
Rep Frank Barney (D-MA)
Rep Frost, Martin ( D-TX)
Rep Gejdenson, Sam (D-CT)
Rep Gibbons, Jim (R-NV)
Rep Hinchey, Maurice, D. (D-NY)
Rep Holt, Rush D. (D-NJ)
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila (D-TX)
Rep Jenkins William L. (R-TN)
Rep Kaptur, Marcy (D-OH)
Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. (D-RI)
Rep Kuykendall, Steven T. (R-CA)
Rep LaHood, Ray (R-IL)
Rep Lampson, Nick (D-TX)
Rep Lee, Barbara (D-CA) 
Rep Lofgren, Zoe (D-CA) 
Rep Lowey, Nita M. (D-NY)
Rep Miller, George (D-CA)
Rep Mink, Patsy T. (D-HI)
Rep Oberstar, James L. (D-MN)
Rep Price, David E. (D-NC)
Rep Rahall, Nick J., II (D-WV)
Rep Rivers, Lynn N. (D-MI)
Rep Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana (R-FL)
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete (D-CA)
Rep Towns, Edolphus (D-NY)
Rep Upton, Fred (R-MI)
Rep Woosley, Lynn C. (D-CA)
Rep Wynn, Albert Russell (D-MD
 <p>

Thank you for your support.
<p>
2/00:
<p>

Patients Bill of Rights Action to Recommence in Congress<p>

NOTE: This memo is being sent to signers of the Internet Petition for
Patients' Rights from last Spring. We're only using this list to update you on
patients' rights activities. If you would like to be on the regular Families
USA Listserv and receive updates on Managed care and other health issues, see
our web site at<p>

<a href="www.familiesusa.org/list.htm"> Updates </a>
<p>
If you have any questions, you can contact Jeff Kirsch, Families USA's Field
Director, at jkirsch@familiesusa.org. 
<p>
*******************************************************************************
<p>
After a lengthy delay by the Congressional leadership, the Senate and House
Conference Committee members on managed care legislation will be meeting at
the end of February. (Their first public meeting, scheduled for today, 2/10,
was postponed because of Sen. Kennedy's illness.) The Conference Committee is
charged with resolving differences between the House and Senate versions of
the legislation, and returning a final product for votes on the House and
Senate floors. That final bill would then be sent to the President for his
approval or veto.
<p>
The Congressional leadership has said that they would like to see all action
on the issue completed by mid-April when Congress leaves town for the Easter
recess. (See background information below.)
<p>
*******************************************************************************<p>
WE URGE YOU TO CONTACT YOUR SENATORS AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT THE HOUSE
VERSION OF THE PATIENT'S BILL OF RIGHTS                                       
<p>
    
KEY SENATE TARGETS INCLUDE:                                                 
<p>
    
Abraham (R-MI), Ashcroft (R-MO), Chafee (R-RI), DeWine (R-OH), Fitzgerald
(R-IL), Grams (R-MN), Jeffords (R-VT), Kyl (R-AZ), McCain (R-AZ), Roth (R-DE),
Santorum (R-PA), Specter (R-PA), Snowe (R-ME)                                 
               
    <p>
Note: These Senators are in states where the media may be more interested in
covering their positions on the issue. These may also be willing to push their
leaders in the Senate to let a strong bill come out of the conference
committee.<p>
*******************************************************************************<p>

The House of Representatives, over the objections of Republican leaders,
passed a strong, comprehensive Patients' Bill of Rights on October 7th, 1999
by a wide margin - 275 Members supported the bill (218 is needed for
passage).
<p>
Families USA and a large and diverse coalition of doctors, nurses, unions,
and consumer groups support the House bill.  The Senate, on the other hand,
passed legislation last July that does virtually nothing to protect patients -
indeed only one-third of Americans would even be offered its weak protections.
For more details on the differences between the two versions, please see
a comparison on our web site at
<a href="www.familiesusa.org/managedcare+u/compare2.htm."> Click Here </a>
<p>
Another hurdle in the way of a strong Patients' Bill of Rights is the
addition by House and Senate leaders of unrelated health care provisions that
would be very harmful to health care consumers in both versions of the bills.<p>
These provisions include Medical Savings Accounts and other insurance market
changes which would have such a  detrimental affect on people covered by
state regulated health care plans that President Clinton has vowed to veto
any legislation that includes them.  See our Managed Care Central web site at
www.familiesusa.org/managedcare/comprot.htm
for more details.<p>


Members of the Conference Committee to resolve differences between the House
and Senate bills include Senators: Jeffords (R-VT), Gregg (R-NH), Frist
(R-TN), Hutchinson (R-AR), Nickles (R-OK), Gramm (R-TX), Enzi (R-WY), Kennedy
D-MA), Dodd (D-CT), Harkin (D-IA), Mikulski (D-MD), Rockefeller (D-WV); and
Reps. Archer (R-TX), Bliley (R-FL), Bilirakis R-L), Boehnor (R-OH), Burton
(R-IN), Fletcher (R-KY), Goss (R-FL), Johnson* (R-CT), McCrery* (R-LA),
Scarborough* (R-FL), Shadegg (R-AZ), Talent (R-MO), Thomas (R-CA), Dingell
(D-MI), Pallone (D-NJ), Rangel (D-NY), Stark (D-CA), Clay (D-MO), Andrews
(D-NJ), Waxman (D-CA), and Berry (D-AR).
<p>
*limited to specific issues
<p>
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Another way you can be helpful is to write a letter to the editor of your
local paper calling for congressional action to pass a real patients' rights
law. If you would like to see a sample of such a letter, please contact Joyce
Christian via e-mail at jchristian@familiesusa.org.
<p>
Thanks for your cooperation. 
<p>
Families USA
<p>
Patrice Franklin, Webmaster<br>
Families USA<br>
1334 G St., NW<br>
Washington, DC 20005<br>
(202) 628-3030<br>
pfranklin@familiesusa.org<br>
<a href="www.familiesusa.org"> Families USA </a><br>

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