Consider getting in touch with your U.S. Representatives and Senators to urge passage of this bill: HR 723/S 366, which is:
Social Security and Medicare Improved Burn Injury Treatment Access Act of 2009 - which amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to direct the Commissioner of Social Security to waive the application of the five-month Social Security disability waiting period in cases of individuals with disabling burn injuries. It also eliminates the 24-month Medicare disability waiting period in cases of individuals with disabling burn injuries, except those with specified health care insurance coverage. And it requires that, in determining when the entitlement or status of an individual with a disabling burn injury terminates, the status of the disability be reviewed at least once every three years.
Not only would HR 723/S 366 provide coverage for seriously burned patients, it would also help ensure the survival of the 125 hospital burn centers in the U.S. Burn centers in 4 states have closed in the past 2 years because of financial challenges presented in part by the large number of uninsured and underinsured burn patients. Over 1 million people suffer burn injuries in the US each year, and about 25,000 of them are burned severely enough to require treatment at burn centers. Most burn injuries occur in people ages 20-40 years. Severe burn injuries are one of the leading causes of lost work years. In addition, many burn centers, such as Regions Hospital Burn Center, where I was a patient some years ago, also treat people with soft tissue infections and electrical injuries.
More about the bill here.
Click here for information about how to get in touch with your congressional representatives
and senators.
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1 comment:
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. If only we diverted the funding for one weapon of disabling burns toward helping those with such injuries ...
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