Virtual Lobby Days: Advocating for stroke through the end of 2016--and beyond - National Stroke Association

Absolutely nothing here that the NSA is doing will directly solve any of the problems in stroke. It is all indirect action which means they can't be blamed to not accomplishing anything. The solution you stupid assholes is to define a stroke strategy that solves all these fucking problems in stroke, write RFPs for researchers, and get foundation grants to pay those researchers. Simple huh?
http://support.stroke.org/site/R?i=rmeEKfw7EJ0PLQMjnkyOHA

Dear dean,

While the elections are over, there's still work to be done in the coming weeks. Members of Congress, whether they've been re-elected or not, still have decisions to make between now and the end of the year. Many of our stroke-related issues are on the table, so we'll need to stay vigilant and active. That's why we're asking you to participate in our "Virtual Lobby Days" taking place Nov. 28 through Dec. 9.

We'll have to be flexible about the exact actions we'll ask you to take as we face uncertainties. Outlined below are a few of the issues we believe may be considered. Yet even if these issues don't move forward before the end of 2016, we still must act. We'll have a much higher likelihood of success if we go into next year showing how much we care.

Some potential policy changes include:

The Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine Act (FAST act), to improve access to life-saving treatments. Right now, Medicare covers telemedicine services for stroke survivors only if they are provided in a rural hospital. If passed, this bill would direct Medicare to cover stroke telemedicine services regardless of location, ultimately making diagnosis and treatment faster nationwide.

Telehealth Legislative Initiatives, including the CONNECT for Health Act, the Telehealth Innovation and Improvement Act, the Telehealth Enhancement Act, and the Medicare Telehealth Parity Act. Each of these would improve access to all telehealth services, making it easier for stroke survivors to receive the treatment they need.

The 21st Century Cures and Senate Innovation Initiatives, which seek to improve the discovery, development, and delivery of cures for a wide variety of diseases. Among many other things, this bill would establish a program at the National Institutes of Health to track neurological diseases.

Funding for federal research programs that conduct critical biomedical and health research on stroke. This research primarily takes place at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. NINDS research has led to significant advancements in stroke diagnosis, treatment and recovery. The BRAIN Initiative aims to map the brain in an effort to better understand it and lead to cures and treatments for neurological diseases like stroke.

Watch & share: https://youtu.be/RUw3MTm_gAo

As these bills move forward, we'll be asking you to contact your policymakers seeking their support. For specifics on each action, check your e-mail and the advocacy page on the national stroke association site at STROKE.org. Here you'll find background information, pre-written letters you can personalize, as well as sample social media posts you can use to engage others. In short, you'll have everything you need to make a difference.

As Congress considers essential stroke-related legislation, your voice is more important than ever. Our goal is to help you be as effective as possible in delivering your message, so you can be heard in Washington, D.C., and beyond.

Sincerely,

Mitchell Ronningen, J.D.
Manager, Government Affairs