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Earlier this week, Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) introduced the Advancing America’s Priorities Act (S. 3297), an omnibus bill that combines nearly three dozen non-controversial, bipartisan measures which have been blocked from full Senate consideration due to objections from Oklahoma Republican Senator Tom Coburn. Continue Reading »

BIAA issued a Legislative Action Alert this week urging both presidential candidates to attend the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall and engage in an in-depth discussion of the increasingly complex issues facing America’s military and veterans community, including the rate of traumatic brain injury among returning service members. BIAA is a member of the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium, and the event is tentatively scheduled to occur on August 11, 2008. Continue Reading »

In a welcome development on Tuesday, Congress successfully overrode the president’s veto of key Medicare legislation (H.R. 6331). The bill, which will now become law, prevents deep cuts in Medicare payment rates to physicians, replacing a 10.6 percent cut to Medicare’s physician payment rates with 18 months of stable payments.

This vital legislation also contains an 18-month delay in implementation of Medicare’s competitive bidding program for Durable Medical Equipment (DME), as well as an 18-month extension of the Medicare outpatient therapy cap exceptions process. Both of these provisions are vitally important to many individuals with brain injury who rely on Medicare in order to receive health care and rehabilitative services. Continue Reading »

On Wednesday, July 8, 2008, by a vote of 69-30, the Senate approved Medicare legislation (H.R. 6331) to prevent a 10.6% payment cut to physicians. In addition to preventing harmful payment cuts to physicians, this Medicare bill includes other important provisions which would improve care for individuals with brain injury.

These critical provisions include an 18-month extension of the Medicare outpatient therapy caps exceptions process, a component of the bill strongly supported by advocates working to improve access to vital rehabilitation therapies for individuals with brain injury. Continue Reading »

Town Hall Would Facilitate Discussion of Issues Facing America’s Military and Veteran Community, Including Traumatic Brain Injury

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) recently joined a consortium of non-profit organizations dedicated to serving active military, veterans, their families and their survivors, in inviting the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates to Fort Hood, Texas, for an in-depth discussion of the increasingly complex issues facing America’s military and veteran community. The CBS television network has agreed to produce and broadcast the very important Town Hall meeting in prime time on Monday, August 11, 2008. Continue Reading »

BIAA issued a press release today urging both presidential candidates to attend the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall and engage in an in-depth discussion of the increasingly complex issues facing America’s military and veterans community, including the rate of traumatic brain injury among returning service members.  BIAA is a member of the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium, and the event is tentatively scheduled to occur on August 11, 2008. Continue Reading »

On Wednesday, July 8, 2008, by a vote of 69-30, the Senate approved Medicare legislation (H.R. 6331) to prevent a 10.6% payment cut to physicians.  In addition to preventing harmful payment cuts to physicians, this Medicare bill includes other important provisions which would improve care for individuals with brain injury. Continue Reading »

In a welcome and surprising turn of events this week, the Senate voted by a veto-proof margin of 69-30 to pass a key Medicare bill (H.R. 6311), after a unexpected, dramatic appearance and “aye” vote by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) on Wednesday.  Sen. Kennedy had not been in the Capitol for six weeks, as he is recovering from surgery in early June to remove a malignant brain tumor. Continue Reading »

BIAA issued a press release today urging both presidential candidates to attend the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall and engage in an in-depth discussion of the increasingly complex issues facing America’s military and veterans community, including the rate of traumatic brain injury among returning service members.  BIAA is a member of the 2008 Fort Hood Presidential Town Hall Consortium, and the event is tentatively scheduled to occur on August 11, 2008. Continue Reading »

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (H.R. 3195) with strong bipartisan backing by a vote of 402-15. Earlier in the week, BIAA formally endorsed this legislation, which is designed to strengthen protections for individuals with disabilities originally enacted through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. Continue Reading »