This from the Diabetes Advocacy Alliance They are calling on Congress to hold a hearing on diabetes.
In the ask they say:
Over 29 million Americans are living with diabetes. With these numbers, you might expect that Congress would hold many open meetings, called hearings. Meetings where citizens like you can raise concerns about diabetes, and members of Congress can use that information to enact legislation.
But they haven’t - it has been five years since the last congressional hearing on diabetes on Capitol Hill.
It’s vital that we make diabetes top-of-mind for our members of Congress, and get them to focus on policies that would help people with diabetes and those at risk.
That’s why Novo Nordisk and members of the Diabetes Advocacy Alliance are working together to ask Congress to hold a hearing on diabetes this fall. This one-day event would give the diabetes community the chance to make our voices heard. And we need your help!
CLICK HERE to make your voice heard and send your members of Congress a letter asking them to hold a hearing to bring attention to diabetes.
Diabetes impacts you every day. Let Congress know how it can help.
The Diabetes Advocacy Alliance consists of 20 member groups representing patient, professional and trade associations; other nonprofit organizations; and corporations. The DAA strives to influence change in health care policy and in the US health care system to improve diabetes prevention, detection and care.
[Bennet Rant] I am a big fan o fetch idea of working to move diabetes to the front burner in Congress, well at least onto a burner. Congress is once again tied up in their let’s shut down the Government silliness. Sharing real issues may help them focus on what matters to there constituents. [/Rant]
BTW, I really don’t want to get political here, but here is the response I received from Senator Marco Rubio. Note that this is the EXACT SAME RESPONSE I have received from him every time I write (actually just an automated response, I know), and there is NEVER any follow-up.
"Thank you for taking the time to contact me. Your correspondence has been received and I welcome the opportunity to address your concerns. Hearing directly from constituents such as yourself is truly an honor, and your input is much appreciated.
Please look for my response in the near future. In an effort to serve you better, please do not duplicate e-mails into the web-form, as it may serve to delay the response to your concerns. If you need immediate assistance with a federal agency, please call (866) 630-7106, toll-free in Florida. Please do not mail materials that require immediate attention to the Washington DC Office. Due to security screenings, postal mail can take up to four weeks to be delivered and will delay our response to your request.
Sincerely,
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio"
(I added the bold and italics)
I just have to wonder what his definition of “the near future” is!
I strongly encourage everyone to also use TWITTER if you tweet to contact members of Congress directly. We will have action dates next week and the week after where we will flood members with our requests for a hearing. You’ll hear more from us early next week!
The bills that are likely to go before the hearing (and actually have a chance at going for markup!) are the following:
Clinical Care Commission Act - would establish coordination in how diabetes is addressed and treated
Medicare CGM Access Act - would provide Medicare beneficiaries with access to CGM
Preventing Diabetes in Medicare Act - would provide Medical Nutrition Therapy for seniors with pre-diabetes
Medicare Diabetes Prevention Act - would help get more ppl with pre-diabetes access to the National Diabetes Prevention Program
Access to Quality Diabetes Education Act - would provide diabetes education to Medicare beneficiaries with type 2 diabetes
