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July 2007 IlliNOISY News
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Action Alert: Tell the Senate to take action on GINA now!
The Genetic Information
Nondiscrimination Act, or GINA, (S.358) is on the verge of passing after 12 long years! The House bill (H.R.493) passed 420-3 on April 25 and
the Senate bill has been reported out of committee. We just need the full Senate to vote on the bill to get it to the President’s
desk!
There is power in numbers! Tell your friends, family, coworkers, and health care providers to take action
now.
Tell your senators to push for GINA to come to the floor
for a vote! Using the sample letter provided, you can call or e-mail your senators today!
Senator Dick Durbin
(202) 224-2152
click
here to send an e-mail
Senator Barack Obama
(202) 224-2854
click
here to send an e-mail
SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear Senator ____,
I am sending this letter
in support of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, or GINA, (S.358). I am urging your support for this legislation to come
to the floor and pass. All people carry high risk for some disease. This bill will help protect you, your relatives, your
friends, and all Americans from health and employment discrimination based on a genetic test result or predisposition to
disease.
It is astounding that this bill, which the Senate has passed unanimously in the past two years, has not yet passed in the 110th
congress. The House passed this important bill by a vote of 420-3 on April 25, 2007. More than 140 national patient groups,
professional societies, academic institutions, research centers, companies, women’s organizations, labor organizations, and the millions of
Americans endorse this legislation. The President has given his endorsement of this legislation. Those who support this bill represent
every sector of society in this nation, and we urge passage of GINA.
This bill protects all Americans from the misuse of
genetic information in employment and health insurance decisions. With these protections in place, Americans will be able to use genetics in medicine
without fear of misuse of their genetic information.
Thank you for your time.
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Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act (S 579/HR 1157)
The BCERA, as of June 30, has 64 co-sponsors in the Senate and 251 in the
House. HR.1157 is currently in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and S.579 is in the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
(HELP) Committee. We will let you all know when we have a mark up date for the BCERA!
Department of Defense Breast Cancer
Research Act
The House of
Representatives will be holding the Defense Appropriations mark up soon! Be sure to keep checking your inbox for an IlliNOISY Advocacy Alert
and urge your representatives to support $150 million for the Breast Cancer Research Program for fiscal year 2008! Let your elected official
know that their support for the DOD BCRA is important to you and will take us one step closer to eradicating breast cancer.
SAVE THE DATE: Ginger Rugai Softball Tournament is August 25th!
The Ginger Rugai Annual Softball
Tournament will be held August 25th at the St. Christina field on the corner of 11100 S. Central Park (3600 West). Proceeds from the
event will benefit the free programs and services that Y-ME Illinois provides, to ensure that no one faces breast cancer alone! If you would
like to volunteer at the event, contact Rachel Runnals at (312) 364-9071 rrunnals@y-me.org.
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National Health Policy Update
CDC Releases 2006 Uninsured Estimates for U.S. Adults,
Children
Jun 26, 2007
An estimated 43.6 million people were
without health insurance at a point in time in 2006, according to a CDC study released Monday, AP/Long Island Newsday reports. the overall number of uninsured has been between 41 and 44
million for the last five years and does not show an upward trend. For non-elderly adults, however, there was a statistically significant increase in
the number of uninsured from 2005 to 2006 (Stobbe, AP/Long Island Newsday, 6/25). Read more.
Researchers Study Genetics, Other
Factors To Determine Why Black Women Have Higher Rates of Aggressive Breast Cancer
Jun 26, 2007
Recent findings that indicate young black women are more
likely than white women to develop an aggressive form of breast cancer that is not responsive to many cancer treatments have "prompted a flurry of
research," the Washington Post
reports. Historically, researchers have attributed studies showing that black women are more likely than whites to die of breast cancer to
inequalities in health care, but recent research has shown that even when access to care and treatment is equal, black women still are more likely
than others to die of the disease. Read more
Massachusetts Health Insurance Law Takes
Effect
Jul 02, 2007
A Massachusetts law that requires all state residents to obtain health insurance took effect Sunday,
USA Today reports (Appleby, USA Today, 7/2).
Under the law, residents with annual incomes below the federal poverty level are eligible for no-cost care. Residents with annual incomes up to three
times the poverty level can enroll in state subsidized plans, while those with incomes more than three times the poverty level can choose their own
coverage from new, lower-cost private plans if they are not offered coverage through their employer (LeBlanc, AP/Long Island Newsday, 6/30). Read more
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Let's grow the IlliNOISY Advocacy Network!
Our voice can make a difference, and together they are even stronger.
We have already accomplished many of our objectives, yet there is so much more work that needs to be done!
To help achieve our legislative goals, we need to grow our network!
We can double the IlliNOISY Advocacy Network
today if you forward this email to just ONE person, urging them to get involved
with Y-ME Illinois Advocacy. Remember: advocacy is free, easy and takes just five minutes for your voice to be heard!
Click on the envelope icon at the beginning of the newsletter to automatically send this email to a friend!
Sign up NOW for the IlliNOISY Advocacy Network!
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Y-ME Ilinois
300 W. Adams, Suite 430
Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 364-9071, ext. 19
Fax: (312) 364-9066
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