Re: [LymphomaVaccine] Re: [nhl-info] CMS: You made it happen!!!

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Becky.

Let's also thank the Senators who took time to listen and then take

effective legislative actions on our behalf: Senators Stabenow and

Cantwell. I think they should be on everyone's xmass card list.

Senator Debbie Stabenow

133 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Senator Cantwell

511 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

And the scientists who weighed in on this issue and validated our concerns:

Particularly Drs. Press, Kaminski, and Wahl.

But, again, we've heard again and again, that without patients contacting

their representives this would never have happened. So, everyone has very

good reason to be proud. : ) ~ Karl

==

CMS: You made it happen!!!

Congratulations to everyone who played a role in this! To name just a

few: Karl and Betsy for their endless writing, networking and rallying

the lymphoma masses; Lynn for getting Jonathon Alter to write the first

article on the issue; Betty and , Lawrence, Toby, and EVERYONE for

all of their tireless work and rallying of their friends and family

members. I've rarely called or written senator and congressional types

before, but your advocacy motivated me and countless others to do so.

I'd like to share kudos, too, with one of my former students, now an

editor with Morning Edition on NPR, who advocated the RIT story with the

NPR science/medicine editor, which led to the interview with Betsy a few

weeks ago. The news media really came through for the lymphoma

community, and I'm very grateful to them for their persuasive analysis

and communication about the RIT-Medicare funding mess.

Maybe now we can really celebrate the joy and peaceful part of this

season!!

Becky

>

> KarlS@... wrote:

>

>> HUGE PROGRESS!!!!!

>>

>> Just got word that language to save RIT is in the Medicare

>> bill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No one yet has seen the exact wording so we

>> aren't certain what it says - we should know that later today or

>> tomorrow - but we do know that it's there AND we have word that

>> Congress included few, if any, changes to the Advantage program in

>> order to get President Bush to sign it.

>>

>> All of you played an essential part in this accomplishment!

>>

>> My contacts in Washington say that our grassroots effort made the

>> difference. I will write a longer thanks later, but for now, pat

>> yourselves on the back, jump for joy, and congratulate

>> yourselves!!!!!!!!!!!!

>>

>> YOU MADE THIS HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>>

>> Hugs to all,

>>

>> Betsy

>>

>>