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BE AN ADVODATE, WE NEED YOUR VOICE!
People Like
Us Legislative Volunteer Network
Grassroots advocates play a major role in attaining our public policy
goals of preventing chronic kidney disease and improving the quality
of life of those living with it. We hope you will volunteer to join
the People Like Us Legislative Volunteer Network and educate legislators
about issues important to people with, and at-risk-for, kidney disease.
Table of Contents
1. People Like Us Legislative Volunteer
Network
2. State Government Advocacy
2a. Michigan Advocacy Action Center
2b. Information About the Michigan Legislature
2c. 2006 Diabetes and Kidney Advocacy Day
3. Federal Government Advocacy
3a. Information about the US Congress
1. People Like Us Legislative Volunteer Network
Sign up today
People with kidney disease, their families, friends, and care givers make great
public policy advocates and are encouraged to become members of People Like
Us. When specific advocacy is needed, volunteers are asked to communicate with
their legislators on the issue..
There is nothing like teamwork for achieving success. Please join us! Contact
Sally Joy at 800-482-1455 ext.221 if you have questions.
2. State Government Advocacy
One in nine adults in Michigan has chronic kidney disease and most don't
know it! If chronic kidney disease is left untreated it can lead to
total kidney failure, requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant to
maintain life. In 2004, people with diabetes represented 44% of new
cases of kidney failure and people with high blood pressure accounted
for 29%. Chronic kidney disease caused by diabetes and high blood pressure
can be prevented or delayed with proper management of diabetes and
high blood pressure. Since many people already have chronic kidney
disease, but don’t know it, early diagnosis and treatment are
essential to delay kidney failure.
Michigan advocacy issues are focused on preventing chronic kidney disease,
improving care for people with chronic kidney disease, and increasing
organ donation rates in Michigan,
2a. Michigan Advocacy Action Center
No
Advocacy Action Alerts at this time
Examples of Success in our Advocay Efforts
2b. Information about the Michigan
Legislature
Go to: www.legislature.mi.gov
2c. 2006 Diabetes and Kidney Advocacy
Day
Pictures
3. Federal Government Advocacy
Contact the National Kidney Foundation Office of Scientific and Public
Policy at: www.kidney.org/general/pubpol
3a. Information about the U.S. Congress
Contact
the Library of Congress web site at http://thomas.loc.gov
Examples of Success in our Advocacy Efforts:
1997-2006 / Funding for the State Kidney Plan to prevent and control
chronic kidney disease in Michigan has increased from $50,000 in 1997
to $506,574 in 2006.
1998 / Organ and Tissue Donor Registry - Created in Michigan
2000 / The Diabetes Cost Reduction Act - Requires health insurance companies
and managed care plans to cover the cost of education, equipment and
supplies for the treatment of diabetes.
2003 / Medicaid Buy-In - The “Freedom to Work for Individuals with
Disabilities” law enables eligible individuals to accumulate more
savings, and even after their income exceeds 250% of the federal poverty
level to continue to receive Medicaid benefits by making payments to
Medicaid based on sliding scale.
2003 / First Person Consent - Assures that a donor’s wishes are
honored after death and does not allow family members to overrule the
deceased’s wish to be an organ donor.
2004 / Organ and Tissue Donation Education Fund – Created to encourage
Michigan residents to put their names on the Organ and Tissue Donor Registry.
Donations can be made when applying for or renewing a driver’s
license or state ID card.
2004 / Michigan Medicaid Pharmaceutical Best Practices Initiative – This
guarantees authorization for “organ replacement therapy” drugs
even if they are not on the Medicaid “preferred drug list.”
2005 / Heart Insignia legislation – Beginning in 2007 when Michigan
residents add their names to the Organ and Tissue Donor Registry, a heart
symbol will appear on their driver’s license or state ID card.
2005 / Prevention Block Grant - Federal funding for disease prevention,
a portion of which comes to Michigan, was restored.
