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The American Diabetes Association's legislative priorities for 2010 include increasing funding for diabetes prevention and research, advocating for healthcare reform, and eliminating discrimination against people with diabetes. This includes federal priorities such as federal funding, health reform implementation, and ADA diabetes bills, as well as state priorities focused on health insurance coverage, health promotion, and discrimination issues.
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General Advocacy Goals • Increase federal and state funding for diabetes prevention, treatment and research • Prevent diabetes and improve the availability of accessible, adequate and affordable health care • Eliminate discrimination against people with diabetes at school, work, and elsewhere in their lives
From General Goals to a Legislative Agenda Federal and state legislative priorities are: • Determined annually • Drafted by the Legislative Subcommittee, a sub-group of the Advocacy Committee, with input from Diabetes Advocates around the country • Approved by Advocacy Committeeand Board of Directors
Criteria For Determining Legislative Priorities Adherence to ADA mission and intended impact on people with diabetes Adherence to ADA Strategic Plan Political reality and actual impact on people with diabetes Impact on and support of diabetes community and other stakeholders Availability of resources
Three Tiers of Priorities Tier I - Highest priority activities; ADA involved as a key player, either leading efforts or as a critical partner. Tier II - ADA consistently engaged, with less expenditure of resources; might lead or could be one of many partners in a wider coalition effort. Tier III – Activities to which ADA will lend its name, but will not play a major or very proactive role.
2010 Federal Tier I Priorities Federal Funding • CDC: Division of Diabetes Translation • NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases • Special Diabetes Program • Innovative funding opportunities in other federal agencies Health Reform Passage/Implementation • Coverage • Quality • Prevention ADA Diabetes Bills • Diabetes Prevention Act • Diabetes Screening and Medicaid Savings Act
Health Care Reform:Ongoing Efforts Ensure pending federal health care reform legislation meets the needs of people with, and at risk for, diabetes: • Fighting discrimination faced by people with diabetes in the insurance market. • Including wellness and prevention provisions within health reform. • Grassroots health reform campaign including e-mail, social media, webinars, and videos: • brought over 63,000 people to an issue-focused website • resulted in 28,000 people signing a petition calling for health reform.
2010 Federal Tier II Priorities Diabetes Bills • Eliminating Disparities in Diabetes Prevention and Access to Care Act • Gestational Diabetes Act • Diabetes Treatment and Prevention Act Stem Cell Research Wellness & Prevention • Nutrition • Physical Activity/Fitness • Obesity Reduction
2010 Federal Tier II Priorities Diabetes Relevant Issues • Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Scoring on prevention cost/benefit Health Entitlement Programs • Medicare • Medicaid Discrimination Issues
2010 Federal Tier III Priorities Diabetes & Co-morbidity Bills • Including but not limited to: • Home Infusion Therapy, • Catalyst Bill, • Prosthetic Parity and • School Nurse Funding (Pilot) Diabetes Relevant Issues • National Diabetes Coordinator
Influencing State Public Policy State priorities are outlined generally through the national committee structure However, the actual activities in each state should reflect the individual needs, opportunities and threats in that state. Legislative activity for each state should be determined through discussions between the volunteer Advocacy Chair and the staff State Advocacy Director
2010 State Tier I Priorities Health InsuranceCoverage/Protection • Diabetes Cost Reduction Act (passage and preventing rollbacks) • Medicaid Coverage Diabetes Prevention & Control Program Funding School Diabetes Care Private Driver’s Licenses • Oppose Laws and/or State Action with Blanket Treatment of People with Diabetes
2010 State Tier II Priorities Health Promotion • School Based (health education, physical education, healthy foods) • Menu Labeling State-Level Research Activities • Diabetes-Specific and Stem Cell Research • Protecting Stem Cell Research
2010 State Tier III Priorities Other Relevant Diabetes Research, Prevention, and Discrimination Issues • Smoke-Free Environment
Legal Advocacy Work to end discrimination in: • Schools and Day Care Centers • Employment • Correctional Institutions • Public Accommodations Four step approach: • Educate • Negotiate • Litigate • Legislate Training and resources: • For lawyers, health care professionals, and advocates • Address ways to prevent discrimination or stop ongoing discrimination.
Restrictions lifted on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus bill), resulted in an additional: • $10 billion for NIH • $1 billion for prevention & wellness at DHHS • $19 billion for health information technology. • $87 billion to states to make up for Medicaid shortfalls. Reauthorization and expansion of SCHIP: • providing health insurance to seven million children of families who otherwise could not afford coverage. Strengthened public policies that address prevention through health promotion: • 13 state bills passed to improve nutrition & physical education. • Menu labeling laws passed in eight jurisdictions. • Agreement reached on federal menu labeling legislation that is pending as a part of the larger health reform package. AdvocacySuccesses
Nonprofit Lobbying As a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3): We cannot: • endorse candidates • show preferential treatment to elected representatives or political parties We can: • give our issues preferential treatment • meet with public officials • invite public officials to our events as long as we follow specific rules
Sharing your Stories How does diabetes affect you? • ADA needs compelling stories from you and others in your community • Stories are a great way to help illustrate our message to the public • Members of Congress and state officials are always interested to know who diabetes effects and how Tell your story at: stopdiabetes.com
AdvocacyAction Center We need your voice! • Sign up to receive advocacy updates and alerts at: • www.diabetes.org/TakeAction • Timely information on federal and state legislation: • Suggested messages for elected officials • Email alerts so you can make your voice heard on time-sensitive issues
Community Leadership Board Support Support ADA’s advocacy agenda • Respond to state and federal Action Alerts • Attend State Lobby Days and Call to Congress Recruit new Diabetes Advocates • Provide opportunities for people to sign up and take action at every event • Recruit health care professionals and attorneys • Identify community members with relationships with elected officials Write letters to the editor and Op Eds Visit your elected officials as a Diabetes Advocate
Questions? Go to: www.diabetes.org/advocacy Call your State Advocacy Director: 1-800- 676- 4065 Randi Chapman x 3082 rgreenechapman@diabetes.org Veronica De La Garza x 6017 vdelagarza@diabetes.orgStephen Habbe x 3457 shabbe@diabetes.orgIvan Lanier x 4364 ilanier@diabetes.orgLaura Keller x 7207 lkeller@diabetes.org Lisa Murdock x 7415 lmurdock@diabetes.org