NFCA Says Contact Senators/Congressmen About Health Care Reform

This note is from Suzanne Mintz of the National Family Caregivers Association.  Please forward as you see fit.

Dear NFCA members and friends:

I know you’ve heard it before but NOW truly is the time to speak up for the health care reform we all need!  It is time to contact your senators and representatives. They do want to hear from you. Contact information is included at the end of this email.

Tell them you are a family caregiver, who you care for, what their diagnosis is, and how long you’ve been a family caregiver. Add a sentence or two about your specific situation.

Here’s NFCA’s message about reform. You can use it as is or modify to fit your style.

Family caregivers provide 80% of the care for our nation’s chronically ill and disabled population. We know from personal experience how poorly our loved ones are cared for in our present system which is focused on acute care and paying for procedures and not holistic care that is carefully coordinated between personnel and across settings.

System delivery reform by which doctors and other healthcare providers will be paid to provide good chronic illness care will make a huge difference in the health and wellbeing of our loved ones. It will also improve our health and wellbeing.

We urge you to pass legislation that authorizes multiple pilot projects across the country focused on providing comprehensive chronic illness care. We urge you to pass legislation that is focused on the whole person, not on procedures. There are so many examples around the country that show this approach saves money. Such programs are examples for the fundamental changes CBO has called for.

Use this link to find the local office of your senators and representative.

You can go to www.senate.gov and www.house.gov to find emails and phone numbers.
You can learn more about the details of pending health care legislation and specifically what it means to family caregivers on NFCA’s web site. Please let us know if you sent a message or visited your elected officials. Your feedback is important. So please send us a note at info@thefamilycaregiver.org and in the subject line write: Speaking Up. Thank you!

Take care,
Suzanne Mintz

President & CEO

PLEASE FORWARD THIS E-LETTER ALONG TO YOUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS and ENCOURAGE ALL THE FAMILY CAREGIVERS YOU KNOW TO JOIN THE NFCA COMMUNITY OF CAREGIVERS. THERE IS NO COST! Just click here: http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org/

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