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Annual Meeting

NHF On The Road

Washington Day
   Follow Up

Congressman Tom Price's HTC Funding Letter

   HTC Funding
   Letter Talking Points

   Support for
   HTC Funding
   Letter

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Washington Days 2005

NHF's Annual Legislative Advocacy Conference

Washington Days 2005 Follow Up:

• Follow Up Talking Points
  
  
• Congressman Tom Price's HTC Funding Letter
  
  
• HTC Funding Sign-on Letter Talking Points
  
  
• List of Congressional Members who support the HTC Funding Sign-on Letters

National Hemophilia Foundation Returns to the Hill

More than 180 members of the bleeding disorders community went to Capitol Hill on March 10, 2005 as part of the National Hemophilia Foundation's Annual Washington Days program. In total, these men and women from across the country went to more than 150 Congressional offices, requesting support for increased funding for hemophilia treatment centers, the elimination of lifetime caps on private health insurance policies, and adequate Medicare payment for clotting factor.

As in the past, the community's story – of the impact of HIV/AIDS, the need for access to safe clotting factor therapies, and the costs of these therapies – led to strong support from Congressional offices. The day before the Congressional visits, Congressman Tom Price (R-GA) agreed to take the lead on a sign-on letter in the House of Representatives in support of increased HTC funding through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Several Washington Day participants were able to identify Senators and Representatives interested in sponsoring legislation on lifetime caps and the Medicare payment issues. NHF is in contact with these offices to provide additional information needed to sponsor these bills.

The lobbying day opened with the presentation of the Dr. L. Michael Kuhn Award to Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard. The award, which recognizes significant service to the bleeding disorders community, was presented by NHF CEO Dr. Alan Kinniburgh. Congresswoman Roybal-Allard who represents the 34th district of California, which includes much of Los Angeles, was honored for her work on the House Appropriations Committee that benefited the community.

Washington Days' attendees also participated in a State Advocacy workshop that included a discussion designed to help the community reach consensus on issues such as how to ensure consumer access to the full range of treatment products and services. These discussions will help determine the focus of a new NHF state-based advocacy program to be rolled out in the spring.

Whether or not you attended Washington Days, there's a lot more you can do to help advance our critical issues RIGHT NOW.

If you attended Washington Days, check out the Washington Day Follow-up points and mail or fax a thank you letter to every office you visited. Request that your Representatives sign Congressman Tom Price's letter no later than April 6.

If you did not participate in Washington Days, you can still help! All Representatives can sign Congressman Tom Price's letter. Check out the HTC Funding Letter talking points and contact your Member of Congress to request that they sign the letter by April 6. Click here to see the list of members who have already signed on. Click here to see Tom Price's Letter.