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November 2009 Big news about the Breakthrough ActWhen the Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act was introduced in 2007, Alzheimer advocates helped secure 92 cosponsors over 19 months. Because the bill was never brought to a vote, the Breakthrough Act (S.1492/H.R.3286) was reintroduced this year in July. In just five busy months, thanks again to the remarkable efforts of advocates, we have secured 102 cosponsors to support this bill! Because we still have a long way to go in the process of the Breakthrough Act becoming law, we need to keep up the momentum on this bipartisan legislation. Check out the list of current cosponsors here. If your members of Congress are not listed, ask them to sign on today!
What Can I Do Now?Since 1979, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has managed a "Healthy People" process that sets national objectives for promoting health and preventing disease. HHS is currently drafting Healthy People 2020 (HP 2020) goals and objectives that propose 38 topic areas, but there is no topic area for Alzheimer’s or dementia. To address the absence of Alzheimer's or dementia in HP 2020, HHS needs to hear from concerned citizens. HP 2020 has a public comment section online. The easiest way to contribute is to submit a comment. If you would prefer, you may also create a profile and then click on "View Objectives/Start Commenting" to add your comment. In your comments, be sure to include why you personally care about Alzheimer's issues and why Healthy People 2020 needs to address Alzheimer's disease as a public health threat. You may also want to include some of the following facts:
Health Care Reform UpdateOn November 7 the House of Representatives passed the "Affordable Health Care for America Act," H.R.3962, by a vote of 220-215. We are pleased that many Alzheimer's-specific provisions were included in the House version of health care reform legislation. As the Senate works on its version of the health reform bill, we will continue to weigh-in to ensure that Alzheimer related provisions are included. Learn more about Alzheimer's-related provisions here.
Advocacy Forum InformationSave the date - we look forward to seeing you in Washington, DC at the Advocacy Forum on March 7-9, 2010. We are preparing for media opportunities that will occur around the 2010 Facts and Figures report which will be released during the Forum. This year’s report will include a special section focusing on Alzheimer's in diverse communities. We'd like your help. We are interested in profiling families who have compelling stories that offer a unique perspective on the Alzheimer experience and are comfortable and willing to share these experiences with the media. Please contact advocacy@alz.org if you can help. Advocate in Action: Win Heimer, Connecticut Chapter
Win Heimer became the primary caregiver for his wife Carol after she was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease. With his longtime interest in activism, Win found advocating for the Alzheimer’s cause to be a personal and natural fit. Win is the chair of the Connecticut Chapter’s public policy committee. He has attended several Advocacy Forums in Washington, DC and participated in a panel discussion on grassroots advocacy during the 2008 Forum. Currently Win is focused on urging members of Congress to increase federal Alzheimer research funding and removing the two-year waiting period for Medicare benefits faced by people with disabilities under age 65. Win has been especially effective at getting the state's two senators and the majority of Connecticut's federal delegation to cosponsor the Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act of 2009. "What motivates me is knowing that if more research money had been available much sooner, perhaps Carol would not be where she is today," he explained. We thank Win and all of our advocates across the country for their support of the mission. |
