Call Congress

Kathryn_in_MN
Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1
PLEASE take a few minutes of your day to call in. This is one of the issues I went to Call On Congress for. Both the Digestive Disease National Coalition and Fight Colorectal Cancer had this on the agenda. This is a bi-partisan issue. It is not something that is at debate, but was an oversight in the original legislation that needs to be fixed. I spent a week in Washington DC working on this and other issues. Can you please take a few minutes out of your day to call? One person alone doesn't make a big difference, but ALL of us working together can make move mountains! Please come back and post after you call - let's see how many we can get together to make a difference on this issue.

There was a loophole in the new health policy, that was NOT intended to be there. If someone on medicare goes for a colonscopy, there is supposed to be no charge - it is a screening and should be covered 100%. (It has been proven that colonoscopies reduce the rates of CRC - paying for 20 colonoscopies will detect polpys that will be removed and prevent at least one case of CRC - which costs a LOT more to treat than 20 colonoscopies. One in 19 persons will get CRC in their lifetime. So the issue here isn't whether colonoscopies should be paid for.) The problem is if a polyp is found and removed, the procedure becomes a treatment rather than a screening. Suddenly this free service costs hundreds of dollars because they have to pay the co-pay on the FULL procedure. The wording was correct to keep them from paying the deductible, but not the co-pay. One of the GI doctors I was at DDNC with said that they have actually had people calling to cancel appointments for colonoscopies after hearing their friends had to pay after their appointments which found polyps, and they just don't have the $$ to pay on their fixed incomes. People that could have polyps removed and avoid CRC are not having it done because of this loophole. Fixing it will save lives and save $$. This is a no-brainer.

1-866-615-3375

Seniors' access to a screening colonoscopy is at risk and YOU can help!

We need you to call Congress and urge your Representative to support H.R. 4120!

Call 1-866-615-3375. At the prompt, enter your ZIP code and you will be directly connected to your Representative - at no cost to you.

When you reach your Representative's office, simply say:

•Your name and where you live
•Please cosponsor H.R. 4120, the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2012
•Because Medicare beneficiaries should not be subject to unexpected coinsurance payments for colonoscopy screening
H.R. 4120, the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2012, will fix a regulation that requires Medicare beneficiaries to pay coinsurance when their screening colonoscopy involves the removal of a polyp. The current policy can cost patients $100 to $300 and serve as a deterrent to screening.


We need cosponsors for this legislation if it is to pass into law & YOU can help! Your call will take two minutes of your time, but could save countless lives. Please take action and urge your friends and families to do the same!

1-866-615-3375

Comments

  • moira52
    moira52 Member Posts: 6 Member
    #2
    The squeaky wheel...
    This is an easy call to make, just leave your message. Everyone should have access to screening. Thanks for your work on this oversight Kathryn.
  • Lorikat
    Lorikat Member Posts: 681 Member
    #3
    Done. Thanks for letting us
    Done. Thanks for letting us know... Lorikat
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    #4
    moira52 said:

    The squeaky wheel...
    This is an easy call to make, just leave your message. Everyone should have access to screening. Thanks for your work on this oversight Kathryn.

    Thanks
    Thanks for taking a few minutes of your time to call in !
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    #5
    Lorikat said:

    Done. Thanks for letting us
    Done. Thanks for letting us know... Lorikat

    Thank you
    Thank you for calling in!

    It really does only take a few minutes, and doesn't cost a thing - let's see more people calling in on Friday!

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