Oct 08 2008

Head Injuries Increase After Motorcycle Helmet

Pennsylvania motorcyclists suffered large increases in head injury deaths and hospitalizations in the two years following the repeal of its motorcycle helmet law, according to a University of Pittsburgh study. Even after accounting for increases in motorcycle registrations that occurred during this period, study authors noted a 32 percent increase in head injury deaths and a 42 percent increase in head injury-related hospitalizations, raising concerns about motorcyclists’ safety and the impact of this trend on health care costs. Continue Reading »

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Oct 08 2008

BIAA Signs on To Coalition Letter Opposing Proposed Medicaid Outpatient Regulation

BIAA recently signed on to a coalition letter urging Congress to enact a moratorium on a regulation proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to restrict Medicaid reimbursement for outpatient services. This regulation is termed the “Medicaid Outpatient Clinic and Hospital Services Rule,” and it would reduce federal Medicaid funding to states for freestanding health clinics and hospital outpatient departments. Continue Reading »

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Sep 29 2008

VA Issues Regulations To Improve Disability Rating System For TBI

Also of note this week was the Department of Veterans Affairs’ publication of a Final Rule to revise the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities to provide detailed and updated criteria for evaluating residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Continue Reading »

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Sep 08 2008

Urge Congress to Provide Increased Funding for TBI Programs in Continuing Resolution

As in past years, Congress is not expected to finish appropriations before the end of the fiscal year on September 30. Instead, Congress will most likely need to pass an extended Continuing Resolution (CR) for Fiscal Year 2009 Appropriations to keep the government running into the next fiscal year beginning on October 1. Please click on the “Take Action” button in the upper-right hand corner of this email to urge your elected officials to support increased funding for traumatic brain injury (TBI) programs in the CR, as well as in any final Fiscal Year 2009 funding package.

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Sep 05 2008

House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Approves TBI Funding

On a related note, the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee passed its version of the Fiscal 2009 Defense Appropriations bill on July 30, 2008, including hundreds of millions of dollars allocated for TBI.

The funding bill approved by the Subcommittee includes $617 million for Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health. Continue Reading »

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Jul 25 2008

BIAA Issues Legislative Action Alert on Addressing America’s Priorities Act

BIAA has issued a Legislative Action Alert requesting that advocates call their Senators and urge them to vote for passage of the Addressing America’s Priorities Act (S. 3297). Continue Reading »

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Jul 22 2008

BIAA Urges Presidential Candidates to Participate in Fort Presidential Town Hall

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 »

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Jul 22 2008

Congress Overrides Presidential Veto To Pass Crucial Medicare Bill

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 »

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Jul 22 2008

Urge Your Senator to Support Medicare Package

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 »

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May 23 2008

Urge Your Representatives in Congress to Increase Federal Funding for TBI Programs!

As Congress adjourns for Memorial Day Recess next week, formal appropriations action on federal TBI programs is just around the corner.

Beginning in June, both the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees are expected to hold markups on the Fiscal 2009 Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education Appropriations bill, which provides federal funding for multiple TBI programs. Continue Reading »

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