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Advocacy in Action!
Rosemarie Rogers (pictured far left) was thrilled to have the opportunity to be a DOD Consumer
Reviewer in 2006.
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August 2006 IlliNOISY News
The latest news from the IlliNOISY Advocacy Network!
Advocacy in
Action: Putting Research Dollars to Work
Rosemarie Rogers is an experienced advocate as well as a Project LEAD Graduate and has been
putting her training and experience to work as a DOD Consumer Reviewer. She recently completed her second DOD Reviewer assignment.
Rosemarie found it to be a phenomonal experience and notes that the consumer reviewers were
asked to comment on more than just the "impact and relevancy" of the research on breast cancer. She found that attending the NBCCF Advocacy
Conference and other seminars throughout the year enhanced her abilities to understand the various aspects of the research applications. She was
pleased to find that the scientists on her panel, went above and beyond to make the consumer reviewers feel welcome and a part of the
team.
Rosemarie states, "I would recommend becoming a consumer reviewer to anyone who is interested
in breast cancer research and its outcomes. It gives you a new
perspective
on the battle that is fought each day by survivors."
Work Continues on the Breast Cancer and
Environmental
Research Act
As you know the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act recently passed out of the Senate HELP Committee. This milestone is the result of
many months of very hard work by advocates like YOU.
This is wonderful progress, but as you know, there is much more to do to get this bill enacted this year. As always, we will keep you informed of any
actions we need you to take. Thank you for your hard work in making this happen!
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BE SURE TO VOTE!!
Are you registered? Do so today and mark your calendar now – Election Day is
November 7, 2006.
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DOD Breast Cancer Research Program Funding Restored
Once again the incredible advocacy of the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC), Y-ME, and advocates like YOU has made a difference! A few
weeks ago the Senate Appropriations Committee passed unanimously an amendment that restored funding for the DOD Breast Cancer Research Program to
$150 million.
Prior to this, the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee passed a bill funding the BCRP at $115 million. While we were pleased that the program
was kept intact, we also were very disappointed that the amount was not higher. You recall that earlier this year, 66 Senators signed the DOD letter
calling for $150 million for the DOD BCRP.
The Defense Appropriations bill now awaits a House-Senate Conference to negotiate the differences between the two bills. As you all know, we
will need you to make your voices heard loudly during this time as the House bill passed in June with a funding level of $115 million.
Watch for action alerts as the Defense Appropriations bill moves to Conference committee!
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National Health Policy News
Pharmaceutical Companies Seeing 'Windfall'
The New York Times on Tuesday examined how "the pharmaceutical industry is beginning to reap a windfall" from the transfer of drug coverage for about
6.5 million dual eligibles from state Medicaid programs to the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Read
more.
Rep. Stark Proposes Universal Health Insurance Plan That Includes Employer
Mandate
Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) announced a bill that would provide health insurance for all U.S. residents through contributions from employers, states
and individuals, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Read more.
Sens. Enzi, Kennedy To Introduce Bill Giving FDA Greater Authority To Monitor
Postmarket Safety
Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.) of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee recently released a draft bill that
would give FDA "better tools to deal with postapproval hazards" for new prescription drugs and encourage further research on such medications, CQ
HealthBeat reports. Read more.
Sen. Feingold To Introduce Legislation To Help States Establish Universal Health Care
Pilot Programs
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) recently announced plans to introduce legislation that will provide funding for states to develop universal health care
pilot programs. Read
more.
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Why Do People Lack Health Insurance?
This policy brief was prepared for Cover the Uninsured Week, a nonpartisan effort to
promote health coverage for all Americans. It is included in "Shifting Ground: Changes in Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance," a Cover the Uninsured
Week 2006 release. Read
more.
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What's Happening
In Other States
Federal Judge Overturns Maryland Law Requiring Large Companies To Spend More on Health
Insurance
U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz overturned a Maryland law that would have required Wal-Mart to increase spending on health care for employees,
the New York Times reports. Read more.
Blue Cross program sets tiers for clinics
A year after it placed hospitals into cost-and-quality trials, Minnesota's largest insurer has done the same with clinic systems. Read more.
Recent Opinion
Pieces
Letters Respond to USA Today Article on High Price of New Cancer
Medications
Two letters to the editor of USA Today on Tuesday responded to an article published on July 11 that examined how the high prices of new cancer
medications -- as much as $10,000 monthly for one treatment -- have raised concerns among patients and health insurers. Summaries of the letters
appear below. Read
more.
High-Deductible Plans Create Competitive Market, Reduce Costs
Recent data provided by eHealthinsurance.com shows that "[i]mproved affordability of health insurance has resulted from a competitive marketplace"
created by growing price transparency and the increasing popularity of high-deductible health insurance plans, Scott Atlas, senior fellow at Stanford
University's Hoover Institution, writes in a Washington Times opinion piece. Read more.
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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?
~ A study published recently in the journal Health Affairs analyzed
emergency room use in 12 communities around the country and found that the areas with the greatest numbers of uninsured, Latino, and immigrant
residents actually had the lowest rates of emergency room use.
~ About 53% of U.S. adults believe that individuals with
unhealthy lifestyles should pay higher insurance premiums than those with healthy lifestyles, compared with 32% who oppose the practice, according to
a recent WSJ.com/Harris Interactive poll.
~ Nearly one in four (23.9 percent) physicians reported using full or partial electronic medical records (EMRs) in their office-based practice in
2005 - a 31 percent increase from the 18.2 percent reported in 2001.
~ At least 1.5 million U.S. residents are harmed or killed each year because of medication errors, leading to at least $3.5 billion annually in extra
health care expenses at hospitals to treat the error-related injuries, according to a report released by the Institute of Medicine.
~ More than eight in 10 seniors who are enrolled in a Medicare drug plan are satisfied with their plan, although almost two in 10 say they
encountered a major problem in using it, according to the latest Kaiser Family Foundation tracking survey of seniors' experiences under the new
Medicare drug benefit.
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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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