Make 2020 the year the LTA is signed into law!
Please take a moment to contact each of your Senators again, whether they have already cosponsored the bill or not. Phone numbers and call scripts are below. Congress will be coming back in session this week.
Registration will be opening soon for Lymphedema Lobby Days 2020 in Washington, DC! A required orientation and complementary dinner will be held the evening of March 1st. March 2nd will be a day of meetings with congressional offices. Click here to read what past participants have said about their experience at Lobby Days.
We are sad to announce the unexpected passing of long time Lymphedema Advocacy Group Board Member, Lois Tiemann. Lois’s advocacy was an excellent example of what one could do without leaving home or home district. While her health kept her from traveling to DC, her work helping us maintain organizational documents and communicating with Rep. Schakowsky were equally important and effective in helping to pass the LTA. As a constituent of Schakowsky, Lois met with the Congresswoman personally at her district office. Her contributions to our organization and to the lymphedema community will be greatly missed. Photos of Lois are below.
Thank you for contacting both of your Senators this week!
Heather Ferguson
Founder & Executive Director
Lymphedema Advocacy Group
LymphedemaTreatmentAct.org
Tips on how to personalize your messages are at the bottom of the list of Senators. To email your Senators you can click here, however, calling has the most impact so please do both if possible.
CALL SCRIPT FOR COSPONSORS:
“I am a constituent calling in support of the Lymphedema Treatment Act, Senate bill number S.518, and would like to thank Senator [name] for being a cosponsor of this bill. This issue is important to me because… [2-3 brief sentences].
The Lymphedema Treatment Act was passed in the House on December 12, 2019 and now it’s time for the Senate to do the same. With 70 Senate cosponsors and over 370 House cosponsors this is the most supported healthcare bill in Congress. Please ask Senator [name] to do whatever [he/she] can to see that bill is included in the next healthcare package that moves in the Senate.”
CALL SCRIPT FOR NON-COSPONSORS:
“I am a constituent calling in support of the Lymphedema Treatment Act, which was passed in the House on December 12, 2019. This bipartisan bill has 70 Senate cosponsors and I would like for Senator [name] to cosponsor as well. This issue is important to me because… [2-3 brief sentences]. Please ask Senator [name] to cosponsor Senate bill number S.518, the Lymphedema Treatment Act.”
AK-Senate: Lisa Murkowski, 202-224-6665 Cosponsor
AK-Senate: Dan Sullivan, 202-224-3004 Cosponsor
AL-Senate: Richard Shelby, 202-224-5744
AL-Senate: Doug Jones, 202-224-4124 Cosponsor
AR-Senate: Tom Cotton, 202- 224-2353 Cosponsor
AR-Senate: John Boozman, 202- 224-4843 Cosponsor
AZ-Senate: Martha McSally, 202-224-2235 Cosponsor
AZ-Senate: Kyrsten Sinema, 202- 224-4521 Cosponsor
CA-Senate: Dianne Feinstein, 202-224-3841 Cosponsor
CA-Senate: Kamala Harris, 202- 224-3553 Cosponsor
CO-Senate: Cory Gardner, 202-224-5941
CO-Senate: Michael Bennet, 202-224-5852 Cosponsor
CT-Senate: Chris Murphy, 202-224-4041 Cosponsor
CT-Senate: Richard Blumenthal, 202- 224-2823 Cosponsor
DE-Senate: Chris Coons, 202-224-5042 Cosponsor
DE-Senate: Tom Carper, 202- 224-2441 Cosponsor
FL-Senate: Marco Rubio, 202- 224-3041 Cosponsor
FL-Senate: Rick Scott, 202- 224-5274 Cosponsor
GA-Senate: David Perdue, 202-224-3521
GA-Senate: Johnny Isakson, 202- 224-3643
HI-Senate: Brian Schatz, 202- 224-3934 Cosponsor
HI-Senate: Mazie Hirono, 202-224-6361 Cosponsor
IA-Senate: Joni Ernst, 202-224-3254 Cosponsor
IA-Senate: Chuck Grassley, 202-224-3744
ID-Senate: Jim Risch, 202-224-2752
ID-Senate: Mike Crapo, 202-224-6142
IL-Senate: Dick Durbin, 202-224-2152 Cosponsor
IL-Senate: Tammy Duckworth, 202-224-2854 Cosponsor
IN-Senate: Todd Young, 202-224-5623 Co-lead Sponsor
IN-Senate: Mike Braun, 202-224-4814
KS-Senate: Pat Roberts, 202-224-4774
KS-Senate: Jerry Moran, 202-224-6521 Cosponsor
KY-Senate: Rand Paul, 202-224-4343
KY-Senate: Mitch McConnell, 202-224-2541
LA-Senate: Bill Cassidy, 202-224-5824
LA-Senate: John Kennedy, 202-224-4623
MA-Senate: Elizabeth Warren, 202-224-4543 Cosponsor
MA-Senate: Ed Markey, 202-224-2742 Cosponsor
MD-Senate: Chris Van Hollen, 202-224-4654 Cosponsor
MD-Senate: Ben Cardin, 202-224-4524 Cosponsor
ME-Senate: Susan Collins, 202-224-2523
ME-Senate: Angus King, 202-224-5344 Cosponsor
MI-Senate: Gary Peters, 202-224-6221 Cosponsor
MI-Senate: Debbie Stabenow, 202-224-4822 Cosponsor
MN-Senate: Tina Smith, 202-224-5641 Cosponsor
MN-Senate: Amy Klobuchar, 202-224-3244 Cosponsor
MO-Senate: Josh Hawley, 202-224-6154 Cosponsor
MO-Senate: Roy Blunt, 202-224-5721 Cosponsor
MS-Senate: Cindy Hyde-Smith, 202-224-5054 Cosponsor
MS-Senate: Roger Wicker, 202-224-6253 Cosponsor
MT-Senate: Steve Daines, 202-224-2651 Cosponsor
MT-Senate: Jon Tester, 202-224-2644 Cosponsor
NC-Senate: Richard Burr, 202-224-3154, then enter #2
NC-Senate: Thom Tillis, 202-224-6342 Cosponsor
ND-Senate: Kevin Cramer, 202-224-2043 Cosponsor
ND-Senate: John Hoeven, 202-224-2551 Cosponsor
NE-Senate: Deb Fischer, 202-224-6551 Cosponsor
NE-Senate: Ben Sasse, 202-224-4224
NH-Senate: Jeanne Shaheen, 202-224-2841 Cosponsor
NH-Senate: Margaret Wood Hassan, 202-224-3324 Cosponsor
NJ-Senate: Cory Booker, 202-224-3224 Cosponsor
NJ-Senate: Bob Menendez, 202-224-4744 Cosponsor
NM-Senate: Tom Udall, 202-224-6621 Cosponsor
NM-Senate: Martin Heinrich, 202-224-5521 Cosponsor
NV-Senate: Jacky Rosen, 202-224-6244 Cosponsor
NV-Senate: Catherine Cortez Masto, 202-224-3542 Cosponsor
NY-Senate: Kirsten Gillibrand, 202-224-4451 Cosponsor
NY-Senate: Chuck Schumer, 202-224-6542 Cosponsor
OH-Senate: Sherrod Brown, 202-224-2315 Cosponsor
OH-Senate: Rob Portman, 202-224-3353
OK-Senate: Jim Inhofe, 202-224-4721 Cosponsor
OK-Senate: James Lankford, 202-224-5754 Cosponsor
OR-Senate: Jeff Merkley, 202-224-3753 Cosponsor
OR-Senate: Ron Wyden, 202-224-5244
PA-Senate: Pat Toomey, 202-224-4254
PA-Senate: Bob Casey, 202-224-6324 Cosponsor
RI-Senate: Sheldon Whitehouse, 202-224-2921 Cosponsor
RI-Senate: Jack Reed, 202-224-4642 Cosponsor
SC-Senate: Tim Scott, 202-224-6121 Cosponsor
SC-Senate: Lindsey Graham, 202-224-5972 Cosponsor
SD-Senate: John Thune, 202-224-2321
SD-Senate: Mike Rounds, 202-224-5842 Cosponsor
TN-Senate: Marsha Blackburn, 202-224-3344
TN-Senate: Lamar Alexander, 202-224-4944
TX-Senate: Ted Cruz, 202-224-5922
TX-Senate: John Cornyn, 202-224-2934
UT-Senate: Mike Lee, 202-224-5444
UT-Senate: Mitt Romney, 202-224-5251
VA-Senate: Mark Warner, 202-224-2023 Cosponsor
VA-Senate: Tim Kaine, 202-224-4024 Cosponsor
VT-Senate: Patrick Leahy, 202-224-4242 Cosponsor
VT-Senate: Bernie Sanders, 202-224-5141 Cosponsor
WA-Senate: Patty Murray, 202-224-7675 Cosponsor
WA-Senate: Maria Cantwell, 202-224-3441 Lead Sponsor
WI-Senate: Tammy Baldwin, 202-224-5653 Cosponsor
WI-Senate: Ron Johnson, 202-224-5323 Cosponsor
WV-Senate: Shelley Moore Capito, 202-224-6472 Cosponsor
WV-Senate: Joe Manchin, 202-224-3954
WY-Senate: Mike Enzi, 202-224-3424
WY-Senate: John Barrasso, 202-224-6441
TIPS ON PERSONALIZING YOUR MESSAGE:
The most effective things you can convey are why your doctor prescribed compression garments are essential to your health and quality of life. The focus should be on their medical necessity, and how they enable you to manage your lymphedema, prevent complications like infections, keep you able to work, take care of your family, etc. – whatever is most applicable for you.
The most important thing to avoid saying is that they are expensive. Cost, or a person’s ability to afford to pay out of pocket, is not a reason why something should be covered by insurance, only medical necessity is. Keep the focus on compression garments being essential for the treatment and management of lymphedema, just as insulin is to a diabetic.
In Memoriam to Lois Tiemann
Lois’s Biography: After years of suffering from edema, Lois was finally diagnosed with primary lymphedema in her lower extremities. As a person who believes in being the CEO of her own care, during her research of the condition she came across the Lymphedema Advocacy Group (LAG) and Lymphedema Treatment Act. Lois is on disability and Medicare, and felt that the mission of LAG was one that she was compelled to be involved with. She first joined the Illinois State Team, and later the Board of Directors. Lois believes strongly that awareness and education needs to be increased, not only for patients, but the medical community and country as well. In her case, as it is for so many other patients, disease progression led to comorbidity, resulting in higher healthcare costs for her and the healthcare system. Thus, Lois is passionate about advocating for insurance coverage of the compression supplies that are vital for managing lymphedema. She has both a Bachelors and Masters in Social Work and has served on many boards, including non-profit. Lois also brings to the LAG board experience in counseling, data management, marketing and organizational development.
In lieu of flowers, her family asks that memorial contributions
be made to the Lymphedema Advocacy Group.
