...August 23, 2010 - Feeling overwhelmed
by prescription drug costs?
MS places a heavy burden not only on the finances of people
affected, but also on their quality of life. The disease's
costly therapies often force people to live from paycheck to
paycheck and make impossible choices among the things they want
and need. If this sounds familiar, Congress needs to hear from
you.
The National MS Society needs your support to pass the Affordable Access to Prescription Medications Act, a bill designed to give some financial relief for people living with MS.
This legislation would cap monthly prescription drug costs; allow exemptions for fourth-tier specialty drugs, require Medicare to study the impact of drug cost-sharing and potentially lower co-payments for up to 10% of Americans with the highest prescription costs.
Contact your
federal legislators to tell them your story and that it is
necessary to pass the Affordable Access to Prescription
Medications Act. Legislators need to realize that the
out-of-pocket expenses for fourth-tier drugs are a burden to the
hundreds of thousands of people living with MS every day.
...August 12, 2010 - New state budget cuts
proposed as FMAP funding falls short
After much debate, Congress approved a $16 billion extension
of FMAP funds for states and a $10 billion education jobs fund
on August 10, but more state budget cuts are on the way in
Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth is slated to receive $600 million
in enhanced FMAP funds for public health and human services,
which is at least $250 million short of the 2010-11 budget that
was passed by the General Assembly.
Governor Ed Rendell announced a plan to cut an additional $198 million from the budget through a 1.9% across-the-board cut to programs and a $50 million reduction in basic education funds. The plan also includes $70 million in new revenue from a natural gas severance tax and $14 million in cuts to the legislature, courts and elected officials to make up a projected $282 million difference in the budget. The budget includes language holding the General Assembly to an October 1 deadline to pass a severance tax, although there is no agreement on the structure of the tax. It would go into effect on January 1.
Click here (.pdf) to see how the cuts break down by
Department.
...August 4, 2010 - One step closer to
FMAP funds
The U.S. Senate voted this morning to end the debate on a
bill that would provide most of the additional federal Medicaid
funds that state lawmakers anticipated in this year’s state
budget.
The congressional measure will provide Pennsylvania with about
$595 million in welfare funds – about 70 percent of the $850
million state officials had been counting on since the beginning
of the year.
A final vote on the bill is expected to take place on Thursday.
The U.S. Senate is scheduled to adjourn for the month on Friday.
Governor Rendell said during a conference call following the
vote that he is “extremely gratified” that the bill is moving
forward. He added that he expects it to be approved swiftly by
both the U.S. Senate and then U.S. House of Representatives when
that chamber returns to session.
...August 2, 2010 - Pennsylvania to begin
offering health plan for people with pre-existing medical
conditions.
As part of the national health insurance reform, Pennsylvania
this week will open a high-risk insurance program for uninsured
individuals who have pre-existing medical conditions, Insurance
Commissioner Joel Ario said today.
"Full federal health reform is still three years away," Ario
said. "In the meantime, we are doing everything we can for
Pennsylvanians to have access to affordable, quality health
care.
"Many uninsured people have been denied affordable coverage and
care due to their health status. Health insurers will be
prohibited from denying coverage or charging sick people more
for insurance in 2014, but people need more options until we get
to that point. So I am very pleased to announce that our
high-risk plan,
PA Fair Care,
will be up and running later this week."
PA Fair Care, administered statewide through a contract with
Highmark Blue Shield, offers a broad range of benefits,
including preventive care, physician services, diagnostic
testing, hospitalization, mental health services and
prescription medications. Subsidized premiums are $283.20 a
month, plus additional co-pays and coinsurance.
The program has initial funding to serve approximately 3,500
individuals. Eligible applicants will be enrolled on a
first-come, first-served basis.
For more information, visit
PAFairCare.com or call, toll-free, 1-888-767-7015.
Applications will be available online after 8:30 a.m. on
Wednesday, August 4.
Eligibility information, answers to frequently-asked questions,
program-related materials and logos are available at
PAFairCare.com.
...July 23, 2010 - 20th Anniversary of the ADA
On July 26, 1990, President George H. Bush signed into law the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure the civil rights
of people with disabilities. This legislation established a
clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of
discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
The ADA has expanded opportunities for Americans with disabilities by reducing barriers and changing perceptions, increasing full participation in community life. However, the full promise of the ADA will only be reached if we remain focused and committed to our efforts for full implementations of ADA and to advocate for people living with disabilities.
On the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society celebrates and recognizes the progress that has been made by reaffirming the principals of equality and inclusion and recommitting our efforts to reach full ADA compliance.
Both the Pennsylvania House of
Representatives and Senate have issued resolutions (click
here for House and
here for Senate) in honor of this anniversary. Governor Ed
Rendell has also written a
proclamation for the occasion. (Note: all files are in PDF
format.)
...July 19, 2010 - Pennsylvania’s 2010-11 budget cuts a wide range of services, while leaving revenue on the table
Pennsylvania's 2010-11 budget sets state spending at $28.043 billion, which includes $25.3 billion in state dollars and $2.75 billion in state fiscal relief provided by the federal Recovery Act. The spending plan provides a slight increase over the 2009-10 budget, but still uses fewer state dollars than were spent in 2006-07.
Funding is increased to meet mandated expenditures for public health care and corrections and to maintain investments in education, but the budget offsets those increases with cuts to numerous other services, including early childhood services, human service programs, environmental protection, agricultural programs, libraries and state parks. Budget cuts are also expected to add to job losses in the public and private sector.
What does federal FMAP funding mean for
Pennsylvanians?
The 2010-11 budget relies on $850 million in enhanced
federal FMAP funding for public health and human services that
is in jeopardy. Legislation to secure the funding has stalled in
the U.S. Congress. If Congress fails to approve the additional
funding, Governor Rendell and state legislative leaders will
have to identify further cuts to critical human services
including public health care, child protective services, mental
health/mental retardation services and domestic violence
counseling.
Contact Jennifer Strayer at
jennifer.strayer@nmss.org
for more information on specific programs.
...June 17, 2010 - New DOT rule extends
disability protections to passenger ships and boats
Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced the first
federal rule to specifically provide Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) protections to people with disabilities who travel on
boats and ships. The action comes as the 20th anniversary of the
ADA approaches on July 26.
“This Administration is committed to protecting the rights of
passengers with disabilities in all modes of transportation,”
said Secretary LaHood. “This rule will ensure fair treatment for
people with disabilities who travel by ship or boat.”
The rule applies to two categories of vessels: vessels operated
by public entities, such as public ferry systems, and vessels
operated by private entities primarily engaged in the business
of transporting people, such as cruise ships.
The rule will ensure that vessel operators’ policies do not
discriminate against passengers with disabilities. Under the
rule, vessel operators cannot charge extra for
accessibility-related services to passengers, cannot require
passengers to furnish their own attendants and cannot deny
access to passengers based on disability. Vessel operators will
have to provide information to passengers about the
accessibility of their facilities and services and make a
knowledgeable person available to resolve accessibility
concerns.
This rule does not establish physical accessibility standards
for new construction or alteration of vessels. The Access Board,
an independent agency, is currently developing proposed
accessibility guidelines that the Department would adopt in a
subsequent rulemaking.
Department of Justice (DOJ) regulations will cover a third
category of vessels not covered by the Department of
Transportation’s (DOT) rules – those operated by private
entities not primarily engaged in the business of transporting
people, such as fishing charters and dinner cruise boats.
The new rule will become effective 120 days after it is
published. There will be a 90-day comment period concerning
three issues: whether vessel operators should be required to
allow passengers with disabilities to bring emotional support
animals on board, requirements operators must follow concerning
the use of mobility aids and the relationship of DOT and DOJ
disability rules.
...June 16, 2010 - Rendell appoints
Health Care Reform Implementation Advisory Committee
The Pennsylvania Office of Health Care Reform announced
appointments to a new external advisory group that will help
implement many of the key elements of the federal
health-care reform act. The federal health-care reform act
relies on states to implement important components such as
the high risk pool and the insurance exchange. To ensure
that the expertise of key stakeholders is an integral part
of the reform process, Governor Ed Rendell created the
Commonwealth Health Care Reform Implementation Advisory
Committee by executive order on May 19.
...May 3, 2010 - Legislators come
out to Walk MS
Walk MS 2010 drew crowds of thousands of walkers and
volunteers over the past two weekends. It also drew local
legislators to come speak. Senators and congress people came
out to let our participants know that we all need to speak
up for change and that they are always open to suggestions
and concerns from their constituents.
Congressman Bob Brady pledged
his ongoing support for people living with MS at the Walk MS
event at the Philadelphia Art Museum on May 2.
...March 16, 2010 - Help continue
to fund MS research through the CDMRP
We need your help. We are asking Congress to support a
$15 million appropriation to the Congressionally Directed
Medical Research Program (CDMRP)for multiple sclerosis. This
letter to members of the Appropriations Defense
Sub-Committee asks for funding of MS research through the FY
2011 Defense Appropriations bill. For the more than 20,000
veterans diagnosed with MS and more than 400,000 people
living with the disease nationwide, this funding will
provide the necessary resources so researchers can explore
potential environmental risks, new treatments and a cure.
What we need from you:
Call your representative and ask them to sign on to the
letter. To date, the following representatives have signed
on: Congressmen Frank Lobiondo and Rob Andrews. We need as many representatives as possible to sign
the letter! You can call the capital switchboard at
202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your representative.
If you do not know who your representative is, visit
congress.org.
...January 15, 2010 - Governor
Announces Mid-Year Budget Cuts as Revenues Dwindle
The Rendell Administration has identified $161 million
in cuts to the 2009-10 state budget to address a revenue
shortfall driven by the severe recession. These funds are
actually being placed in budgetary reserve, rather than
being cut, but because of the revenue deficit, it is
unlikely that those funds will be available.
The plan eliminates 33 line items, including state funding
for health-care facilities, bio-technology research,
regional community college services, rural cancer outreach,
zoos and regional history centers. More than 240 other
programs, including county child welfare, mental health
services, children's health insurance, and Pre-K Counts,
received cuts ranging from 1% to 97%. Funds from the cuts
are being put into budgetary reserve, meaning they cannot be
spent.
The Tally:
- 33 programs eliminated ($30.4 million cut)
- Funding reduced for 244 other programs ($130.8 million cut)
Total reductions: $161 million
Read more...
...December 11, 2009 - Governor Rendell
Announces Resignation of DPW Secretary Estelle B. Richman
Governor Edward G. Rendell announced the resignation of
Public Welfare Secretary Estelle B. Richman, effective Dec. 31.
Richman has served as secretary since the beginning of Governor
Rendell’s administration in 2003.
“Secretary Richman served during one of the most challenging periods in modern Pennsylvania history for human services, and she met that challenge in a way few others could have done,” Governor Rendell said. “The recession increased demands on social services just as public money became scarce, yet she improved the quality of DPW programs while still managing the department with heightened efficiency.
“Since 2003, Secretary Richman has been a champion for vulnerable children and their families in every corner of Pennsylvania,” the Governor added. “Low-income families are stronger, healthier and on the road to self-sufficiency because of her passion for their well-being. We are delighted that Estelle will now focus that same energy on national housing issues in her role as Chief Operating Officer at HUD.”
The Governor has nominated Harriet Dichter of
Philadelphia to succeed Richman as secretary. Her nomination is
subject to Senate confirmation.
Read more...
...October 12, 2009 -
Pennsylvania budget passed
On Friday, October 9 (101 days after the deadline), the PA
General Assembly passed the budget for July 2009 through June
2010. The Governor signed the bill Friday evening, and checks
should start to move this week. Most disability programs avoided
significant cuts, and a number actually will receive increases.
Congratulations to all of you who actively advocated. An
analysis containing more specific information will be posted
this week.
...September 3, 2009
-
$6 million
designated for MS research in the House
The House of
Representatives Appropriations Committee provided $6 million
for MS research funding under the Congressionally Directed
Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010
Defense Appropriations bill. Last year, MS activists reached a
new milestone and helped secure $5 million for MS research under
the CDMRP. This $1 million increase represents a 20% increase in
one year - a great and significant accomplishment.
CDMRP is a Department of Defense (DoD) program funded annually
via the Defense Appropriations Act. The Society has led a bold
effort to have Congress provide $15 million for MS research
within the CDMRP. In large part to your efforts as MS activists
last year, MS research received funding under this program for
the first time. This movement is an example of the power of
advocacy and the influence of a grassroots campaign.
...July 30, 2009 - What new health care
bill means for you
The health care reform bill pending in the US House of
Representatives (HR 3200) would benefit thousands of people in
every Pennsylvania Congressional district. What will those
benefits be for you and your community? A report has been
released by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce providing
details about every congressional district in the country.
Click here to find out what it means for your congressional
district. You will also find the complete text of the bill, a
summary of the bill and any amendments that have been offered.
...April 9, 2009 - President Obama
officially creates the Office of Health Care Reform
President Barack Obama set up an executive office for
health-care reform at the White House on Wednesday, saying the
overhaul was one of the biggest priorities for the first year of
his presidency. Obama issued an executive order that says the
U.S. healthcare system “suffers from serious and pervasive
problems.” Read more...
...April 9, 2009 - 2009 Public Policy
Conference
On March 11,
hundreds of multiple sclerosis activists from across the nation
joined together and met with their legislators on Capitol Hill.
The conference was a great success and demonstrates how
activists' collective efforts help shape policies and improve
the lives of people living with MS. Read more...
...March 19, 2009 - Advocacy Day at the
Capitol
MS advocates stormed
the Capitol in Harrisburg on Monday, March 2 for MS Awareness
Week to raise awareness about multiple sclerosis and make the
legislators and public aware of our policy priorities. The
Pennsylvania chapters of the National MS Society brought 2009
policy priorities including adult protective services, assisted
living and health care reform to the legislature. Read more...
...February 6, 2009 - New budget plans
After months of
declining revenues and increasingly dire warnings about pain in
the budget, from a disability perspective, the Governor’s
proposed budget is a mixed bag. The budget continues the trend
toward increased investment in home- and community-based
services and protects many vital programs. But there are
significant concerns about cuts in community mental health
programs, drug and alcohol programs and a number of others. It’s
lacking in new initiatives, and there are no cost of living
increases (COLAs).
Read more...
...December 11, 2008 - Adult Protective Services
The State of Pennsylvania recently expanded its dog law
following the recent discovery of deplorable conditions during a
kennel raid.
Read more...
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