Everyone:
Please join Helen in support of this important legislation.
Charlotte
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Senate Bill 1935
Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 18:21:54 EDT
From: [log in to unmask]
To: (suppressed)
the following was sent to me by a Young Onset Parinsonian and former
flight
attendant. Thought you people on my PD email list would be interested
and
hopefully will write to Senators as I have. Thanks, Helen Mason
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House Bill 2020 introduced by Newt Gingrich did not pass, a new version
introduced by Senator Tom Harkin and Senator -Arlene Specter Senate bill
S.1935, a bill that will may affect everyone at one point their lives
whether
it be someone in their family or themselves: Write your senator today!
For
your senator's e-mail and address as well as follow the bills progress
see
http://www.senate.gov/index.cfm -Drafting your own letter with your
personal
story will draw more attention; however, if you wish to copy this letter
feel
free to do so.
{date}
The Honorable {name of Senator}
United States Senate
{address}
Dear Senator {name}
" MiCasa "
The Medicaid Community Attendant Service Act
I am writing to you to ask for your support on the new version of the
MiCasa
S.1935 (The Medicaid Community Attendant Service Act) As you know,
amending
Title XIX of the Social Security Act-Medicaid to create a new option
called
"Qualified Community-Based Attendant Services would offer senior
citizens and
persons with disabilities to option to maintain control and independence
of
their own lives while remaining at home or at least the option of
choosing
between home or a group care facility. Maintaining control over one's
life is
the best medicine to continued health. Currently, Title XIX is basically
biased against those physically challenged persons who don't have
families to
care for them and who need assistance. Forcing the elderly and the
disabled
into group facilities is just another way of saying they are outcasts
and
undeserving of their familiar surroundings.
The baby boomers are just around the corner from facing some of the
challenges of the elderly. Being that the baby boomers are a large group
of
Americans, will there be enough group care facilities to handle our
numbers
if Title XIX is not amended? Will we be forced to place our parents in
group
facilities due to the necessity to maintain our own careers to support
our
families? Take also into consideration that many baby boomers are
becoming
disabled in their thirties and forties in increasing numbers with
diseases
such as Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Parkinson's, Muscular Dystrophy, Lou
Gerig's, cancer, diabetes, as well as spinal cord injuries. As we have
learned, even well-known actors of a young age as Christopher Reeves and
Michael J. Fox made us all aware that a disability can happen to anyone,
injury and illness do not discriminate. We take for granted that we will
maintain good health throughout our life time. It's a nice thought, but
not
always a reality. Growing old is inevitable, as well as, the health
problems
that occur with aging. The MiCasa bill will benefit everyone, sometime,
someday, Thank you for consideration to support MiCasa S.1935, an
important
issue that will continue to affect the lives of Americans.
Sincerely,
{your name}
{address
{affiliation optional}
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