FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE ALERT

FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE ALERT

Florida State Senator Hill, with the assistance of Mary Bailey, President of Voices, Inc., has introduced S2416 (“the injured workers bill”).

See description below.
S2416 GENERAL BILL by HillWorkers' Compensation; provides rights &remedies on behalf of injured workers; provides for access to physicians; prescribes procedures re workers' compensation proceedings; provides that subpoenas be issued by judges of compensation claims only; prescribes rights to benefits, including compensation, training, & employment; reinstates former provisions that provided procedures & remedies in cases of bad-faith dealings, etc.(Amends 440.34).

This bill will rectify the harm legislated into Florida law by SB 54 in 2003. Under that legislation, any chronic pain condition or psychiatric conditions was not compensable. Attorney fees were capped at $1,500.

Call your Florida State Senator and ask him or her to cosponsor S2416.

Ask your State representative to introduce a similar bill in the Florida House.

Set the VCR starting on Monday!

Here is an important e-mail from the VA Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Association:

The American Pain Foundation said, NBC's morning show TODAY, with Katie and Matt, will be airing a five-part series on pain beginning Monday, March 28 continuing through Friday, April 1, 2005.

The series will feature two APF board members: Dr. Russell Portenoy will appear on Monday's program to provide an overview of pain. Dr. Scott Fishman will appear as the lead consultant throughout the series, and will conclude the Friday segment with a presentation on pediatric pain. TODAY is broadcast from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM; they anticipate the pain segments to be aired in the second hour.

This is an exciting nationwide event, highlighting pain as a major public health concern. We are proud that the APF, its distinguished board, and its valued members have been instrumental in bringing the issue of pain to the forefront.

Please forward this news to an interested family member or friend.
Thank you.
The American Pain Foundation.

Dr. Portenoy has written many articles/abstracts on Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome, therefore he knows about the problems we face; be sure to watch these segments. If you find you cannot view them during the time frame, set your VCR ahead of time.

From the VA RSD Association: We're wishing you pain-free days and sleep filled nights.

Treating Pain & Dealing Drugs

Weighing the Difference Between Treating Pain and Dealing Drugs

By TINA ROSENBERG
Published: March 26, 2005
New York Times

Federal prosecutors in Virginia want Dr. William Hurwitz, recently convicted on 50 counts of distributing narcotics, to go to prison for life without parole when he is sentenced in mid-April.

For the 50 million or so Americans who suffer from chronic pain, the fate of Dr. Hurwitz should be of some interest. He is a prominent doctor committed to aggressive treatment of pain. His behavior in some cases was inexcusable. Patients for whom he freely provided large prescriptions should, at the very minimum, have been given more close supervision. But malpractice should be cause for loss of license.

Instead, Dr. Hurwitz has been prosecuted as a drug kingpin because some patients sold their pills, although prosecutors never claimed he made a penny from it. That sends a chilling message to doctors who treat people with extreme pain.

Dr. Hurwitz's case involved prescriptions for opioids like OxyContin or Vicodin. Abuse of those drugs can be a lethal problem, but the new consensus among pain doctors is that very high doses are appropriate in some chronic pain cases. The Drug Enforcement Administration apparently disagrees. The Hurwitz case shows that increasingly it is the D.E.A., not doctors, that decides what is appropriate therapy.

Last August the D.E.A. published policies to guide doctors in treating pain. The document said the amount or duration of pain medicine prescribed was a physician's decision and would not by itself spark a criminal investigation. Dr. Hurwitz's lawyers filed to introduce it as evidence. Mysteriously, it suddenly disappeared from the D.E.A. Web site. The agency then announced it contained "misstatements." In November, the agency published new guidelines that said doctors who prescribe high dosages of opioids for long stretches are subject to investigation.

Pain is already undertreated in America. Although pain experts estimate that perhaps one in 10 people who suffer from chronic pain could benefit from opioids, the vast majority will never find this out. Many doctors won't prescribe opioids, especially in high doses. Opioids are safe and nonaddictive if used correctly, but addictive and deadly if crushed and injected or snorted, which defeats their time-release mechanism.

Abuse of narcotics like OxyContin is a serious problem and has devastated many communities. But a huge amount of OxyContin on the street is stolen from pharmacies - 1.5 million tablets from 2001 to 2003, according to the D.E.A.

Diversion of prescriptions may account for only a small part of the abuse, but it has brought a sadly disproportionate response from authorities. For example, Richard Paey, who has used a wheelchair since a car accident in 1985 and also developed multiple sclerosis, is serving a 25-year prison sentence in Florida for fraudulently obtaining prescriptions for Percocet even though prosecutors acknowledged he consumed all the pills himself.

Dozens of doctors have been charged with drug trafficking because the D.E.A. felt they were prescribing too many pills. The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons warns doctors to think twice before treating pain. "Discuss the risks with your family," it says.

One California doctor who prescribed opioids, Frank Fisher, was charged with five counts of murder - including that of a patient who died as a passenger in a car accident. All charges were dropped. A doctor in Florida, James Graves, is serving 63 years for four counts of manslaughter involving overdoses by people who either abused their prescriptions or mixed their prescribed medicines with other drugs.

Dr. Hurwitz, a crusader for aggressive pain treatment, had a controversial practice. More than 90 percent of his patients were genuine, and many say he was the only doctor who quieted their chronic pain. But his willingness to treat patients other doctors shunned, including drug addicts, also attracted scammers. It is legal to prescribe to addicts who are in pain, and many respected pain doctors believe that in some cases, addiction is caused by untreated pain and ends when the pain is controlled.

Dr. Hurwitz, who was disciplined by medical boards several times, testified that he did dismiss 17 patients he concluded were abusing their prescriptions and was tapering down the dosage for others. But he also said he felt that cutting off patients was tantamount to torture, and he did not do so without strong evidence of bad behavior.

Many of Dr. Hurwitz's colleagues believe that he was far too slow to accept such evidence and that he should not have been practicing medicine. But while he was blind to his patients' deceptions, there has never been any evidence that he was part of their conspiracy. In the prosecutors' post-trial motions, they argue that the conviction should stand even if Dr. Hurwitz believed he was prescribing for a legitimate medical purpose.

His prosecution seems inexplicable except as a signal to other doctors that they can go to prison for life for being duped by their patients. That signal is being heard - the exodus from aggressive treatment of pain is increasing. This might marginally reduce the amount of opioids on the street, but in the process it will sentence hundreds of thousands of people to suffer needlessly.

Info - Where to Write

Who to send letters of support to (via e-mail, fax or phone)....
These are the 13 State Assembly Health Committee Members which need to be contacted now. Sending letters, e-mails and/or calls directed to their District Office as well as their Capitol Office is a good idea.

(D) Wilma Chan - Chair of the Health Committee http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a16/
Sacramento Office:
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA
94249-0016
Ph: (916) 319-2016/Fax: (916) 319-2116
District Office:
1515 Clay Street
Suite 2204
Oakland, CA 94612
Ph: (510) 286-1670/ Fax: (510) 286-1888
Assemblymember.Chan@assembly.ca.gov


(D) Patty Berg
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a01/
Sacramento Office:
State Capitol
PO Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0001
Ph: (916) 319-2001/Fax: (916) 319-2101
District Office:
50 "D" Street, Suite 450
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Ph: (707) 576-2526/Fax: (707) 576-2297
Assemblymember.Berg@assembly.ca.gov

(D) Rebecca Cohn
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a24/
Capitol Office
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0024
Ph: (916) 319-2024/ Fax: (916) 319-2124
District Office
100 Paseo De San Antonio, Suite 319
San Jose, CA 95113
Ph: (408) 282-8920/ Fax: (408) 282-8927
Assemblymember.Cohn@assembly.ca.gov

(D) Mervyn Dymally
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a52/
Capitol Office
State Capitol
PO Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0052
Ph: (916) 319-2052
District Office
322 W. Compton Boulevard, Suite 100
Compton, CA 90220
Ph: (310) 223-1201
Assemblymember.Dymally@assembly.ca.gov

(D) Dario Frommer
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a43/
STATE CAPITOL
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0043
Phone: (916) 319-2043 Fax: (916) 319-2143
DISTRICT OFFICE
620 N. Brand Boulevard, Suite 403
Glendale, CA 91203
Phone: (818) 240-6330 Fax: (818) 2404632
Assemblymember.Frommer@assembly.ca.gov

(D) Mike Gordon
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a53/
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0053
(916) 319-2053 (916) 319-2153 fax
District:
1700 East Walnut Avenue, Suite 601
El Segundo, CA 90245
(310) 615-3515 (310) 615-3520 fax
Assemblymember.Gordon@assembly.ca.gov

(D) Dave Jones
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a09/
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0009
(916) 319-2009 (916) 319-2109 fax
District
915 "L" Street, Suite 110
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 324-4676 (916) 327-3338 fax
Assemblymember.Jones@assembly.ca.gov

(D) Cindy Montanez
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a39/
District Office
11541 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Ste. C
Mission Hills, CA 91345
Ph: (818) 838-3939/Fax: (818) 838-3931
Sacramento Office:
State Capitol, Room 3013
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ph: (916) 319-2039/ Fax: (916) 3192139
Assemblymember.Montenez@assembly.ca.gov

(D) Gloria Negrete McLeod
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a61/
District Office
4959 Palo Verde Street, Suite 100B
Montclair, CA 91763
Phone: (909) 621-2783 Fax: (909) 621-7483
Capitol Office
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0061
Phone: (916)319-2061 Fax: (916) 319-2161
Assemblymember.McLeod@assembly.ca.gov

(R) Greg Aghazarian - Vice Chair of the Health Committee http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/members/index.asp?Dist=26&lang=1
Capitol OfficeState Capitol
Room 4167
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 319-2026 Fax: (916) 319-2126
Stockton District Office
4557 Quail Lakes Dr.,Suite C-3
Stockton, CA 95207
Phone: 209-473-6972 Fax: 209-473-6977
Assemblymember.Aghazarian@assembly.ca.gov

(R) Alan Nakanishi
http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/members/index.asp?Dist=10&Lang=1&Body=&RefID=0&WelcomeID=&SurveyTitleID=
Capitol Office
State Capitol, Room 5175
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0010
Phone: (916) 319-2010 Fax: (916) 319-2110
Lodi District Office
218 W. Pine Street
Lodi, CA 95241
Phone: (209) 333-5330 Fax: (209) 333-5333
Assemblymember.Nakanishi@assembly.ca.gov

(R) Keith Richmond, Dr.
http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/members/index.asp?Dist=38&Lang=1&Body=&RefID=0&WelcomeID=&SurveyTitleID=
Capitol Office
State Capitol Room 5128
Sacramento, CA 94249-0038
Phone: 916-319-2038 Fax: 916-319-2138
Granada Hills District Office
10727 White Oak Ave. Suite #124
Granada Hills, CA 91344
Phone: (818) 368-3838 Fax: (818) 885-3307
Assemblymember.Richmond@assembly.ca.gov

(R) Audra Strickland
http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/members/index.asp?Dist=37&Lang=1&Body=&RefID=0&WelcomeID=&SurveyTitleID=
Capitol Office
State CapitolRoom 4208
Sacramento, CA 94249-0037
Phone: (916) 319-2037 Fax: (916) 319-2137
Westlake District Office
2659 Townsgate Road, Suite 236
Westlake Village, CA 91361
Phone: 805-230-9167 Phone: 805-230-9183
Assemblymember.Strickland@assembly.ca.gov

Please CC: letters and e-mails of support to: Tamara Odisho e-mails address: Tamara.Odisho@asm.ca.gov
Legislative Aide Office of Assemblymember Fran Pavley
Forty-first Assembly District
916.319.2978 direct
916.319.2141 fax

Sample Letter (drafted by RSD'er Toni Amarel of Folsom, CA, www.toni-crps.com ):
(Date)
Assemblyperson (insert name of legislator you're sending letter to) Address City, State, Zip
Dear Assemblymember (insert here last name of legislator);On February 22nd, the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) Education Bill (AB 1648) was introduced. Please vote “Yes” on this very important health bill for our golden state when it comes up for a vote before your health committee. An estimated 1.5 to 6 million Americans suffer from the devastating effects RSD. Yet, RSD remains virtually unheard of. What is RSD? RSD is a progressive neurological disease with constant chronic pain as its main symptom. Furthermore, it is a debilitating disease that if left untreated can spread to all parts of the body leaving the patient completely disabled. If diagnosed early and with appropriate medical care, it can be successfully treated. However, most patients have extreme difficulty getting a timely diagnosis. Why? Because, the medical community as a whole is not educated about what causes RSD or how to diagnosis and successfully treat it. Anyone, young or old can get RSD. (Here, please insert a brief discription of your RSD experience-- 3 to 4 sentences at the most) (Here's what Toni wrote...) I have personally suffered with RSD since 1998 and this disease has wreaked havoc on my life. My family and I have suffered from extreme financial hardships due to mounting medical costs, prolonged family disruption, social isolation, diminished quality of life, depression and anxiety. The sad reality is that if I had received early diagnosis and appropriate treatment I could have been cured. Instead, I will endure of lifetime sentence with RSD. Education is the key to successful diagnosis and treatment of RSD. No one should have to suffer a lifetime of excruciating pain from RSD. RSD can be successfully treated and at times put into remission. We must educate our medical community and our population about RSD so as to prevent RSD from claiming the life of another person. We must act now to pass the RSD Education Bill. I urge you, as stewards of our golden state, to vote yes on the RSD Education Bill. Your yes vote will be the first step in educating our medical community and California’s population about RSD. Sincerely,(Your Name)(City, State)(How long you've had RSD, i.e., RSD since 1998)

Text of California RSD Education Bill: BILL NUMBER: AB 1648
INTRODUCED BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Pavley(Principal coauthors: Senators Escutia and Soto)(Coauthors: Assembly Members Dymally, Goldberg, Hancock, Oropeza,Wolk, Senators Figueroa and Kuehl)

FEBRUARY 22, 2005
An act to add Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 104307) to Part1 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to health, and making an appropriation therefor.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1648, as introduced, Pavley. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Under existing law the State Department of Health Services conducts a program for the control of high blood pressure and maintains a program for the prevention of blindness. This bill would require the department to establish and implement the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Education and Research Program.This bill would establish the continuously appropriated Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Fund for the purposes of this bill. Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Education and Research Program Act.
SEC. 2. The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a)Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), also know as complex regional pain, is a debilitating and progressively chronic condition characterized by severe burning pain, pathological changes in bone and skin, excessive sweating, tissue swelling, and extreme sensitivity to touch.
(b) More specifically, RSD is thought to be a nerve disorder that generally occurs at the site of a minor or major trauma injury, but may also occur without an apparent injury to the afflicted person.
(c) While the causes of RSD are unknown, it is thought to be the result of damaged nerves of the sympathetic nervous system.
(d) The disorder is unique in that it simultaneously affects the nerves, skin, muscles, blood vessels, and bones, and if untreated, can result in permanent deformity and chronic pain.
(e) RSD is often misdiagnosed because this condition is either unknown or is poorly understood; the prognosis for patients suffering from RSD is generally much better when the condition is identified and treated as early as possible, ideally within three months of identifying the first symptoms.
(f) If treatment is delayed, the disorder can quickly spread to the entire limb, and changes in bone and muscle may become irreversible, resulting in limited mobility, atrophy of the muscles, and eventual permanent disability of patients.
(g) Since a delay in diagnosis or treatment for this debilitative condition can result in severe physical and physiological problems, and early recognition and prompt treatment of RSD provides the greatest opportunity for recovery, it is in the best interest of the public to establish a program to educate both individuals and medical professionals regarding this debilitative condition and to promote research to accurately identify, diagnose, and treat RSD.
SEC. 3. Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 104307) is added toPart 1 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code , to read:CHAPTER 5.5. REFLEX SYMPATHETIC DYSTROPHY EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
104307.
(a) The department shall establish a Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Education and Research Program.
(b) For purposes of this chapter, "RSD" means reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a debilitating and progressively chronic condition characterized by severe burning pain, pathological changes in bone and skin, excessive sweating, tissue sweating, tissue swelling, and extreme sensitivity to touch.
(c) The purpose of the program established under this chapter shall be to promote public awareness of the causes of RSD, the value of early detection and diagnosis and possible treatments, and to promote research, through public and private resources, to accurately identify, diagnose, and treat reflex sympathetic dystrophy.
104308.
In implementing the program established under this chapter, the department shall do all of the following:
(a) Establish a public education and outreach campaign, through written materials, brochures, and the department's Web site, to promote RSD education, that will enable individuals to make informed decisions about their health, including, but not limited to, the following elements:
(1) The cause and nature of RSD.
(2) The risk factors that contribute to the manifestation of RSD.
(3) Available treatment options, including risks and benefits of those options.
(4) Environmental safety and injury prevention.
(5) Rest and use of appropriate body mechanics.
(6) The availability of RSD diagnostic, treatment, and outreach services in the community.
(7) Any other factors or elements that might mitigate the effects of RSD.
(b) Develop educational materials and brochures and make them available to consumers.
(c) Coordinate, promote, and offer professional education programs, through institutions of higher education, for health care providers and health-related community-based organizations, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) Research findings.
(2) The cause and nature of RSD.
(3) RSD risk factors, including, but not limited to, lifestyle, heredity, and drug interactions.
(4) The diagnostic procedures and appropriate indications for their use.
(5) Medical and surgical treatment options, including experimental and established drug therapies, and the risks and benefits of each option.
(6) Environmental safety and injury prevention.
(7) The availability of RSD diagnosis and treatment and support services in the community.
(d) Promote research, through both private and public funding sources, to accurately identify, diagnose, and treat RSD.
104309.
(a) The Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, all moneys in the fund are hereby continuously appropriated to the department, without regard to fiscal years, for the purpose of funding this chapter.
(b) The department may seek and accept grants, awards, and other funds not derived from the General Fund for the implementation of this chapter, and shall deposit any moneys received pursuant to this section into the fund for expenditure for the purposes of this chapter.

104309.5. This chapter shall be implemented only to the extent funds from federal or private sources are made available for this purpose.

Trailblazing A New RSD World
For more information, please visit http://www.forgrace.org

RSD - Call to Action! Please Help.

Dear All Those Impacted by RSD (People with RSD, their family, friends, community, town leaders, etc.)

We at "For Grace" are urgently asking all to write letters, e-mails, and make phone calls to the California State legislators listed below to support AB 1648, the California RSD Education bill. This bill is about to go before (2-3 weeks) their Assembly Health committee for a hearing and vote-- and we desperately need your voice to enable its passage. It has been brought to our attention it is imperative that these legislators here from the RSD community-- or this bill stands a good chance of dying. Please don't allow this to happen--

PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW.

The California RSD Education bill (bill text provided below) was introduced on the Capitol floor, February 22nd, by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley.

This bill, if passed, will fund an RSD awareness campaign through the state's Department of Health Services, targeting education to healthcare professionals and the general public. Once implemented, this RSD education campaign will provide crucial information to enable earlier recognition of the disease, better, faster medical interventions-- and ultimately, save many lives from the terrible ravages of unchecked, unmanaged RSD.

You don't have to be a California resident to act. ALL RSD voices from ALL over the country can send a clear, firm and absolute message to these legislators that this bill is necessary for a better tomorrow for those impacted by RSD. If this bill passes in California, it will help pave the way for similar bills throughout the country!

****Suggested Action******

Please call, write or e-mail the CA legislators below, stating your support of AB 1648 and urging a "YES" vote for its passage in their Assembly Health committee. We have provided a letter sample (written by RSD'er Toni Amarel of Folsom, CA) as a guide. Also, if possible, please cc: all correspondence to our legislative liaison, Tamara Odisho (her contact information is listed in the post: Info - Where to write), so we can keep a record of the response.

Co-sponsors for AB 1648 lined up to date are the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association (RSDSA), the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA), the American Pain Foundation (APF), the Southern California Cancer Pain Initiative (SCCPI) and the Inter-Cultural Cancer Caucus (ICCC).

Please take action now-- and please share this message with everyone you know who can support you in this effort. The more voices heard-- THE BETTER...

THANK YOU all for helping us realizing "the dream of never again".

Text of bill AB 1648:
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset2text.htm


Sample Letter:

Dear Assemblyman;
On February 22nd, the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) Education Bill (AB 1648) was introduced. Please vote “Yes” on this very important health bill for our golden state.
An estimated 1.5 to 6 million Americans suffer from the devastating effects RSD. Yet, RSD remains virtually unheard of. What is RSD? RSD is a progressive neurological disease with constant chronic pain as its main symptom. Furthermore, it is a debilitating disease that if left untreated can spread to all parts of the body leaving the patient completely disabled. If diagnosed early and with appropriate medical care, it can be successfully treated. However, most patients have extreme difficulty getting a timely diagnosis. Why? Because, the medical community as a whole is not educated about what causes RSD or how to diagnosis and successfully treat it.

Anyone, young or old can get RSD. I have personally suffered with RSD since 1998 and this disease has wreaked havoc on my life. M family and I have suffered from extreme financial hardships due to mounting medical costs, prolonged family disruption, social isolation, diminished quality of life, depression and anxiety. The sad reality is that if I had received early diagnosis and appropriate treatment I could have been cured. Instead, I will endure of lifetime sentence with RSD.

Education is the key to successful diagnosis and treatment of RSD. No one should have to suffer a lifetime of excruciating pain from RSD. RSD can be successfully treated and at times put into remission. We must educate our medical community and our population about RSD so as to prevent RSD from claiming the life of another person. We must act now to pass the RSD Education Bill.

I urge you, as stewards of our golden state, to vote yes on the RSD Education Bill. Your yes vote will be the first step in educating our medical community and California’s population about RSD.
Sincerely,
Toni Amarel
RSD 1998
http://www.toni-crps.com/
Trailblazing A New RSD World

Medicaid Cuts

I'm forwarding a letter of thanks from Senator Bingaman's aide re: the passage of an amendment that eliminated the drastic cuts to Medicaid.

Together, we can made a difference.

Best of health.

"I think that I can speak on behalf of both Senators Smith and Bingaman on this one! THANKS to everybody and your coalitions for today’s vote of 52-48 to pass the amendment!!! It was a truly incredible effort that took place across this country and kudos to all! What an incredible moment it was!
Thanks everybody!!!"
-Bruce Lesley
Office of Senator Jeff Bingaman
***************************
Thursday, March 17, 2005

Bingaman's Bipartisan Amendment to Restore $15 Billion to Medicaid Wins Senate Approval

WASHINGTON – The Senate today approved (52-48) a provision authored by U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman and Senator Gordon Smith (R-Ore) that would eliminate billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid – the federal-state health care program that covers low-income individuals. President Bush last month unveiled his fiscal year 2006 budget proposal that contained a devastating $60 billion cut to Medicaid over the next decade. The Senate is debating a FY 2006 budget blueprint that includes eliminating $15 billion in Medicaid funding for next year. The Bingaman-Smith amendment restores the $15 billion. The amendment also sets aside $1.5 million for a bipartisan blue ribbon panel that would give a comprehensive and thorough review of what is and is not working with Medicaid and would provide ideas on how to improve service delivery and quality in the most cost-effective way possible. ``Medicaid is the most important program that pays for health care coverage in New Mexico. There are over 400,000 people in our state who depend on this program and I am pleased that the Senate today recognized the importance of ensuring that it is adequately funded," Bingaman said. Bingaman and Smith have introduced legislation in the Senate that would set up the bipartisan commission, which would have 14 months to hold public hearings, conduct its evaluations and deliberations, and issue its report and recommendations to the President, the Congress, and the public. The Medicaid Commission would be comprised of 24 members who reflect all the stakeholders and components in the Medicaid program. That measure has been sent to the Senate Finance Committee. Bingaman and Smith are both members of that committee.

National Pain Care Policy Act

WE NEED HELP AGAIN!

The National Pain Care Policy Act

Congressman Rogers has reintroduced the National Pain Care Policy Act, now renumbered HR 1020, which, among other things, establishes a national center for Pain and Palliative Care Research at the NIH as part of a campaign to raise public awarenss about pain and palliative care, requires NIH to establish programs that develop and advance the quality, appropriateness, and effectiveness of pain and palliative care, and authorizes the HHS to award grants, cooperative agreements, and public/private contracts to further the education and training of healthcare professionals authorizes a White House Conference on Pain Care requires the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to collect and disseminate protocols and evidence-based practices regarding pain and palliative care clinicians and the general public and fund education and training programs for healthcare professionals in pain and palliative requires the DHHS to develop and implement a national outreach and awareness campaign to educate consumers, patients, families, and other caregivers on the signficance of pain as a national public health problem; risks to patients if pain is not treated; and patient's rights This bill is a huge step toward gaining federal recognition of the importance of pain as a critical and unanswered health care problem in America today.

However, with the current media buzz about the 2006 federal budget, it is no secret that funding is going to be tight. This bill will only become reality if every person in America who suffers from chronic pain gets involved; we must all contact our state representative and ask him or her to support this bill.

Write to Your Representative.

We are asking the CRPS/RSD community to become active in this campaign by doing the following: Hand write a personal letter to your representative and urge him/her to co-sponsor this bill. Or, you can call or email your representative and also get a few of your friends to do the same. Make your letter short and personal. Tell your story so your representative can understand how CRPS/RSD impacts your life. Plan a letter-writing gathering in your church, community center, school, workplace, etc. Plan a visit to your representative’s office.

For information on contacting your representatives, please visit the American Pain Foundation (APF) website, http://www.painfoundation.org

Chronic Pain Relief - New York

TWO UPCOMING SEMINARS IN THE NY AREA

Chronic Pain Relief For Brooklyn!
All Welcome! For the first time ever, a Columbia Presbyterian trained pain Doctor, Andrew M.G. Davy, talks to the Brooklyn community about interventional pain management.

Where: The Brooklyn Hospital Center, Auditorium
121 Dekalb Ave., Brooklyn, NY

When: Tuesday, April 5, 2005

Time: 5:30PM-7:30PM

This FREE lecture courtesy of The Brooklyn Hospital Center and medical
manufacturers is open to those who call and register: 1-800-920-3320

You will have the opportunity to hear patients who have been treated with various modalities. Those treated with the same stimulator, as actor/comedian Jerry Lewis, will also be present.

Refreshments will be served during a fifteen-minute break.

Presented in cooperation with MedtronicMedia
Contact:Bruce Lander
Tel: 212-523-6069
Email: blander@chpnet.org

For Immediate Release

Free Lecture on Advancements in the Treatment of Chronic Pain

NEW YORK, March 11, 2005 – Ronny Hertz, MD, chairman of pain management at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center will present with other physicians a free lecture on the latest advancements in the treatment of chronic pain on Monday, April 4, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm,
at The Lighthouse International, 111 East 59th Street in Manhattan.

Patients who have been treated with various modalities, including spinal cord stimulation and radio frequency, also will discuss their experiences.

Registration is required.
To register or for more information, please call: 1-800-920-3320.
The lecture is sponsored by Medtronic Neurological.

Chicago Pain Seminar

Another seminar in the Chicago area

Dr. Madison is having a meeting on Thursday, April 14th from 5:30pm -
7:30pm.

It will be held at Water Tower Place, 845 N. Michigan Avenue,
Suite 913E, Chicago, IL 60611.

The meeting is being sponsored by Midwest Pain Clinic, Watertower Clinic Associates and Advanced Bionics.

Refreshments will be served. The program will be about symptoms,
diagnosis, interventional pain procedures and state of the art treatment.
RSVP to: 312-654-2180.

This is what I have.... And I hate it...

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain syndrome with two forms. CRPS 1 currently replaces the term "reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome". It is a chronic nerve disorder that occurs most often in the arms or legs after a minor or major injury.

CRPS 1 is associated with severe pain; changes in the nails, bone, and skin; and an increased sensitivity to touch in the affected limb. CRPS 2 replaces the term causalgia, and results from an identified injury to the nerve.


Alternative Names
CRPS; RSDS; Causalgia; Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome; Sudeck's atrophy; Shoulder-hand syndrome

Causes, incidence, and risk factors
CRPS often develops after an injury or infection that has occurred in an arm or leg. It can also occur after heart attacks and strokes. However, the condition can sometimes appear without obvious injury to the affected limb.

The cause of CRPS is not completely understood. It is thought to result from damage to the nervous system, including the nerves that control the blood vessels and sweat glands.

The damaged nerves are no longer able to properly control blood flow, sensation, and temperature to the affected area. This leads to medical problems in the nerves, blood vessels, skin, bones, and muscles.

This condition is more common in people between the ages of 40-60, but has been seen in younger people too.


Prevention
There is no known prevention at this time, but early treatment is key to limiting the progression of the disease.

Symptoms
In most cases CRPS has 3 stages. Often, however, CRPS does not follow this progression. Some people go into the later stages almost immediately. Others remain in Stage 1 indefinitely.

Stage 1 (lasts 1-3 months)
Severe burning, aching pain increasing with the slightest touch or breeze
Swelling with warmth or coolness
Skin becomes dry and thin, changes color
Increased nail and hair growth
Pain may move further up or down the affected limb

Stage 2 (lasts 3-6 months)
Swelling spreads
Noticeable changes in skin texture and color
Decreased hair growth
Changes in bone seen in X-rays
Stiff muscles and joints

Stage 3 (irreversible changes become evident)
Pain may exist in the entire limb
Permanent tissue changes
Muscle wasting
Limited mobility in limb
Contractions involving muscles and tendons

Signs and tests
Diagnosing CRPS can be difficult, but early diagnosis is very important. Often, the symptoms are severe compared to the original trauma or injury.

It is possible to make a diagnosis based on a medical history and physical examination. The key complaint is the severe, burning pain. Additional tests may include X-rays, bone scans, nerve conduction studies, and thermography (a test to show temperature changes and lack of blood supply in the painful area of the affected limb).

National Pain Care Policy Act

Representative Rogers has reintroduced The National Pain Care Policy Act. This is a very significant bill whose passage can help us win our ongoing battle against pain. Call your Representatives and Senators today and ask them to support this landmark bill. Below is Representative Rogers' press release.

The National Pain Care Policy Act, which I recently re-introduced in the U.S. House,contains important provisions to expand our nation's focus on pain research, professional and consumer education, and patient awareness and access to appropriate pain care services. Millions of Americans suffer from both acute and chronic pain, many of them needlessly.

Pain is a major public health problem in this country, yet one to which the Federal government pays far too little attention at the current time. Consider this:

* pain is the most common reason people seek medical care;
* pain afflicts people of all ages and all walks of life;
* pain accompanies many prevalent diseases like cancer, arthritis and heart
* disease; it can also be a disease unto itself like migraine and low back pain;
* pain is a leading cause of disability and lost productivity;
* pain imposes an enormous cost on the American economy through health care costs and lost productivity; and
* pain inflicts terrible personal suffering on those afflicted, their
families and their caregivers.

Many of you have family members, friends or co-workers who know this first hand. I look forward to advocating for the adoption of this important legislation. For more information on this issue, please view a recent Time Magazine report at: http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101050228/


I appreciate your continued interest in the legislative activities of your U.S. Congress. As always, should you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Sincerely,

Mike Rogers

Member of Congress

LEGISLATIVE ALERT

IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED IN SENATE

SUPPORT SIMITH-BINGAMAN AMENDMENT TO STRIKE CUTS TO
MEDICAID

BACKGROUND:

This week the House Budget Committee passed a Fiscal Year
(FY) 2006 budget resolution that requires approximately $20
billion in cuts to Medicaid over 5 years. The Senate Budget
Committee passed its a FY 2006 budget resolution with $15
billion in cuts to Medicaid over 5 years. The Congressional
Budget Office analysis of the Administration's budget
proposal to cut Medicaid stated that the Administration's
cuts would amount to $7.6 billion over 5 years. Therefore,
the Senate Budget Resolution's cut is almost twice the
level of the Administration's proposed cut.

Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) will
offer an amendment on the Senate floor to strike the $15
billion in Medicaid cuts and create a bi-partisan
Commission that will seek input from all stakeholders
(including people with disabilities, families and
providers) on Medicaid reform.

STATUS:

The House and Senate will vote on the FY 2006 budget
resolutions during the week of March 14. As of now, there
is little hope to remove devastating cuts from the House
budget resolution, therefore Medicaid advocates have to
make sure the Senate version has the smallest possible cut.
That is why the Smith-Bingaman amendment striking down the
cuts is so important.

The Smith-Bingaman amendment may be considered and voted on
as early as Tuesday, March 15. All Senators must be
contacted. We cannot take any vote for granted.

ACTION TO BE TAKEN:

1) Call toll free 1-800-828-0498. This number will connect
you to the Capitol switchboard. Ask for your Senators
office and then tell them to support the Smith-Bingaman
amendment. After you call one of your Senator's offices,
call back and reach your other Senator's office. If the
toll-free line is busy, call back again.

This toll-free line will be available until the vote on the
Smith-Bingaman amendment occurs.

2) Contact your Senators by e-mail using the sample letter
and urge them to support the Smith-Bingaman amendment. Send
this sample letter even if you have written to your
Senators in the past 2 weeks about Medicaid.

3) Forward this information to at least 5 of your family,
friends, neighbors, co-workers or fellow advocates and ask
them to call and e-mail their Senators.

Remember that all Senate offices keep track of the numbers
of calls and e-mails they receive on each issue.