Item Action Alert Opposing Medicares In the Home Restriction

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justice@...Subject: Item action alertItem Action AlertHelp Support Senators Santorum and Bingaman in Opposing Medicares In the Home Restriction On Monday, June 13, 2005, Senators Santorum (R-PA) and Bingaman (D-NM) joined Congressmen Bass (R-NH) and Langevin (D-RI) in opposing Medicares in the home restriction on mobility devices for people with disabilities. The Senators are circulating a bipartisan Dear Colleague letter in the United States Senate. The letter asks Members to join them in signing on to a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Leavitt, requesting modification of Medicares in the home restriction on mobility devices in order to improve access to the community for people with disabilities. (The letters are attached.) A similar letter is being circulating by Congressmen Langevin and Bass. WE NEED YOUR HELP IN GETTING SENATORS SIGNATURES ON THE SIGN-ON LETTER. 1. Please make two phone calls (one to each of your Senators) via the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Senators office. Then, ask to speak to the Health Legislative Assistant and request that the Senator sign on to the Bingaman/Santorum In The Home Letter. Let them know that the in the home restriction unfairly confines people with disabilities to the four walls of their home, preventing them from accessing their communities and living their lives as independently as possible. 2. Contact your lawmakers via the web at http://www.rightwheelchair.org. Simply type in your zip code, edit the drafted letter in any way you wish, and send the email. BACKGROUND ON THE IN THE HOME RESTRICTION:Medicares in the home restriction limits coverage of mobility devices to only those that are necessary within the patients home. A beneficiary, who is able to function at home but needs a mobility device or a more functional mobility device to access his or her community, work, school, physicians office, pharmacy, or place of worship, would not be eligible for a wheelchair (or the right wheelchair) under this restriction. The in the home restriction threatens the health and independence of people with disabilities.Thank you for all your help! Your actions will go a long way in changing this outdated and harmful restriction.Please visit www.itemcoalition.org and www.rightwheelchair.org for more information. Contact Niederman at the ITEM Coalition (202) 349-4260 or Kim Ruff-Wilbert at United Spinal Association (202) 331-1002 with any questions.# # #-- ----------------------------------------------------------------Housing & Disability Issues (formerly NHOYO) is a moderatedinformational list. It consists of disability issues concerning,but not limited to: Individuals, Home ownership, and Affordablehousing. If you would like to be on our mailing list, send anemail message to: HOUSING.DISABILITY.ISSUES-request@...stating your wishes.Since this is not a discussion list, you will not be able to sendquestions directly to the list. However, if you have anyinformation that you feel is relevant to this list, please feelfree to send this information to: <drv@...> If we feelthis information is appropriate, we will post it to the list.If you wish to be removed from this list please send an emailmessage to: HOUSING.DISABILITY.ISSUES-request@...stating your wishes.Visit http://chance.unh.edufor information on home ownership for people with disabilities.----------------------------------------------------------------