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Advocacy in Action!
Stacey Peters and Candice Zito-Gilhooly (pictured here), along with other IlliNOISY Advocates
met with Rep. Manzullo to discuss our legislative priorities during the 2006 Lobby Day in Washington, DC.
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June 2006 IlliNOISY News
The latest news from the IlliNOISY Advocacy Network!
Advocacy in
Action: Making Sure Your Elected Officials Hear From You!
This year 51 IlliNOISY Advocates traveled to Washington, DC to attend the 2006
National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund Advocacy Conference & Lobby Day. One of the advocates attending in 2006 was Candice Zito-Gilhooly, a
35-year-old, stay-at-home mom, was first diagnosed with
breast cancer 10 years ago and again two years ago. Candice makes it a priority to attend Lobby Day each year because she knows how important it is
to keep in contact with our elected officials.
Candice reflects, "Lobby Day offers an amazing opportunity to thank our legislators for the support they have given to breast cancer issues in the
past, as well as a chance to advocate for increased beast cancer research and better overall health care. I am confident that visiting our
legislators' Washington offices with real faces of breast cancer creates a lasting impression which our legislators will remember when it's time to
vote on breast cancer issues."
Plan now to join us in DC in 2007!
Save-the-date for the 2007 NBCCF Annual Advocacy Training Conference - April 28-May 1,
2007.
Expansion of
Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program
On Mother’s Day, Governor Blagojevich announced an expansion of the state’s
program to help uninsured women get access to screening and treatment for breast and
cervical cancer. The new plan expands the income threshold for the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP), enabling thousands more
women to get free cancer screenings and treatment.
The program expansion (effective Jan. 2007) initiatives include:
- Raising the income eligibility for IBBCP from 200% to 250% of Federal Poverty
Level. It is projected that an additional 3,000 Illinois women will be served under this initiative from January 2007 to June
2007.
- Expand Treatment Act services to women who are eligible for IBCCTP but are diagnosed
outside of IBCCP. It is projected that that the number of women treated could increase by 500 with this initiative.
Read the press release from the Governor's office.
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For years we've been looking for cures for breast cancer. Why aren't we also looking for
causes?
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Breast Cancer and Environmental
Research Act Update
The Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act (S. 757 / H.R. 2231) continues to gain support with 240 cosponsors in the
House and 65 in the Senate.
Passage of the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act would authorize $30 million for five years to NIEHS to study the potential links between
the environment and
breast cancer.
Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act
The Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act (H.R. 5465) was introduced on May 24, 2006 by Rep. Lois Capps and Rep. Tom Davis. This bill will
provide Medicare beneficiaries comprehensive cancer care planning and improved care for those individuals diagnosed with cancer. Read more about the bill at THOMAS.
Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization is proud to be part of the coalition supporting enactment of H.R. 5465.
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American Airlines helped eight IlliNOISY Advocates to attend the 2006 NBCCF Advocacy Conference in Washington, DC.
Thank you American Airlines!
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National Health Policy News
House To Consider Health Care Legislation in June
The House Republican leadership is planning to bring several health care bills to the floor in June in an effort to "advance the GOP's agenda on
health care," The Hill reports. Proposals likely to be considered "closely track the health care priorities favored by the White House." Read
more.
GAO Report Finds Lack of Competition Among Insurers Offering Health Plans to Small
Businesses
A small number of health insurers account for a large share of the policies sold to small businesses in most states, a trend that has left consumers
with fewer selections and higher costs, according to a recently released Government Accountability Office report. Read
more.
Target Offers Employees Health Savings, Reimbursement Accounts, Plans To Eliminate
Traditional Health Plans
Target has begun to offer employees high-deductible health plans with health savings accounts or health reimbursement accounts and plans to offer
traditional plans only for a "limited time in the future," the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Read
more.
Recent Opinion Pieces
Cuts in Research Will Hinder Quest for a Cure
Is saving someone you know from cancer worth $16 to you? Congress doesn't seem to think
so. Read
more.
Allowing Undocumented Immigrants To Receive No-Cost Health Services 'Unfair' To
Low-Income, Legal Residents
An "open-door policy" over the past 10 years has resulted in "state agencies around the country that look the other way" when undocumented immigrants
seek health care and other services... Read more.
Universal Health Coverage Presents 'Moral Dilemma' Of Superior Care
"There is a real moral dilemma ... about what happens after you have defined and achieved the goal of decent" health care for all U.S. residents,
Washington Post columnist Michael Kinsley writes. Read more.
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Don't miss the Campaign for Better Health Care's 2006 Summer Celebration on Monday, June
12th!
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Campaign for Better Health Care's 2006
Summer Celebration
MOVING FROM ALL KIDS TO ALL PEOPLE
Monday, June 12th, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
La Decima Musa Restaurant, 1901 S. Loomis, Chicago
Registration: $50
All tickets include appetizers, soft drinks and wine.
Speakers:
Representative William Delgado
Horacio Esparza, Director, Progress Center South
Congressman Luis Gutierrez (INVITED)
Dr. Robert Ross, President, The California Endowment
Carmen Velasquez, Director, Alivio Medical Center
Space is limited so register early!
To register, contact Jess Lynch at 312-913-9449 / jlynch@cbhconline.org.
Assistance is available for those who cannot afford the registration. Contact Alicia
at ahuguelet@y-me.org for more details.
What's Happening
In Other States
Massachusetts Senate Approves Measure To License Drug Reps
The Massachusetts Senate has passed an amendment to the state budget that would require pharmaceutical company sales representatives to be licensed
and would ban them from providing entertainment, gifts, payments or travel to doctors, health care facilities or public officials. Read
more.
Connecticut Lawmakers Pass Bills Capping Copayments for Some Tests
Connecticut legislators passed two health insurance proposals, the Hartford Courant reports. One of the bills would cap patient copayments for
magnetic resonance imaging and computed axial tomography at $75 for each service, or $375 annually for all such tests. Read
more.
Urbana joins list
of cities to ban smoking
Urbana has joined neighboring Champaign and a growing list of Illinois cities that prohibit smoking in most public places, including restaurants and
bars. The City Council voted 6-1 on June 5th to approve the no-smoking ordinance. It will be effective Aug. 1 in restaurants and restaurant lounges,
but bars will not have to comply until early next year. Champaign's city council approved a smoking ban last month, timed to go into effect Aug. 1 so
long as Urbana also passed a no-smoking ordinance.
Other Illinois cities that have enacted no-smoking ordinances include Chicago, Bloomington,
Normal and Springfield. Cook County also has enacted a ban that will affect more than 100 Chicago suburbs, and similar ordinances are being
considered in more than three dozen other communities.
Associated Press Article
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Need help paying for medicines?
Call 888-4PPA-NOW or check online to see if you qualify.
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Did You
Know?
~ Two-thirds of CEOs say they approve of the recently approved Massachusetts law
requiring employers to provide health coverage to their workers, according to the Globe 100 CEO survey.
~ More than one-third of U.S. adults undergo diagnostic tests for conditions for which they have no symptoms, which adds to health care costs and
increases patient stress, according to a study published Friday in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
~ The percentage of U.S. employees eligible for employer-sponsored health insurance who decided to enroll decreased from 85.3% in 1998 to
80.3% in 2003, according to a report released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
~ Twenty-three percent of employers in the Chicago area currently offer employees consumer-driven health plans, and 29% might offer such plans
in 2007, according to a recent survey of 310 employers conducted by GCG Financial and Milliman, the Chicago Tribune reports.
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Y-ME Ilinois
203 N. Wabash, Suite 1220
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 364-9071, ext. 19
Fax: (312) 364-90066
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