Brain Injury Blog | Traumatic Brain Injury TBI

The California Brain Injury Association held its 2nd Annual Greek Dinner & Dance For Thought at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church Cultural Center Hall in Long Beach on Saturday, March 8th. The event was the first of many planned events to raise awareness of brain injury during the month of March, which is Brain Injury Awareness Month. Approximately One hundred and fifty attendees were treated to traditional Greek hors d’oeuvres, Tiropites and Spanikopita, followed by a delicious Greek Dinner prepared by Thank Goodness Its Sophia Catering. Continue Reading »

Multiple BIAA representatives attended this week a scientific conference titled, “Trauma Spectrum Disorders: The Role of Gender, Race & Other Socioeconomic Factors.” Continue Reading »

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 »

Last week, the House passed an omnibus veterans health care package (S. 2612), including key provisions of The Epilepsy Centers of Excellence Act (H.R. 2818/S. 2004), which BIAA has strongly endorsed. Continue Reading »

Last week, the House passed an omnibus continuing appropriations bill to fund most government programs – including TBI and trauma-related programs - at Fiscal 2008 (last year’s) levels until March 6, 2009. Continue Reading »

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 »

Despite little progress on appropriations so far this year, the House of Representatives was able to pass its version of the Fiscal 2009 Military Construction-VA spending bill (H.R. 6599) by a vote of 409-4 on August 1, 2008. Continue Reading »

On behalf of the Brain Injury Association of America, I am thrilled to announce that yesterday a group of United States Senators, led by Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Barack Obama (D-IL), sent a letter to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates calling on him to enact official coverage of cognitive rehabilitation within the military’s TRICARE health insurance program. Continue Reading »

Despite little progress on appropriations so far this year, the House of Representatives does plan on bringing the Fiscal 2009 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs spending bill to the floor next week.  This will be the first regular Fiscal 2009 appropriations bill to receive House floor consideration this session, and could also be one of the last. Continue Reading »

On Thursday, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee approved provisions contained in S. 2921, The Caring for Wounded Warriors Act, S. 2921. BIAA has strongly supported and endorsed this legislation, and several recommendations made by BIAA during the legislative drafting process were incorporated into the bill. Continue Reading »