We are very pleased to announce the 2010-2011 members of our Grassroots Action Committee.  The Committee is a group of committed, engaged volunteer advocates who take action when asked.  The Committee is the catalyst of our grassroots advocate community, and provides advice to help us achieve our strategic goals and objectives by empowering grassroots advocates across the country.

Members of the 2010-2011 Committee include:

LaRisha Baker, Chair
Portland, OR

Rochelle Joseph
Upper Marlboro, MD

Carol Larson
Minneapolis, MN

Arlene Murphy
Milford, OH

Doug Sharp
Prairie Village, KS

Josh Wimberly
Bessemer, AL

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The House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee approved its fiscal year 2011 funding bill on Thursday, July 15 by a vote of 11-5.

The bill would provide $76.7 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services.  This is $3.8 billion more than last year’s funding level and about $270 million more than the President requested.

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This afternoon, First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius spoke at George Washington University Hospital to announce the release of new guidelines that will provide free preventive health care services under the Affordable Care Act.

The new guidelines will mean that insurance plan can no longer charge copayments or other fees for a number of preventive services including colorectal cancer screenings.  The regulation does not take effect until Sept. 23, and it only applies to plans that are new after that, meaning that people who stay on their existing plan won’t benefit from the change. Read the rest of this entry »

We took a look at the Affordable Care Act through a cancer lens in order to better understand how the law will affect the colorectal cancer community.  Whether you favored or opposed enactment of the Affordable Care Act, a full understanding of the new law is essential as it will change many areas of health care.  We put together a webinar that will give you an overview of what is happening when and how it will impact you.  It gives an overview of upcoming implementation deadlines as well as opportunities for patients and advocates to get involved in the implementation process.

If you were not able to join us for the live webinar, you can access a video of the webinar or download the slides from the presentation.

Still have questions about the Affordable Care Act, and how it changes access to colorectal cancer screening and impacts the cost of cancer care?  Email us at Advocacy@FightCRC.org.

July 1 is a big day for implementation of the new health care reform law.  It is the deadline for establishment of the high risk pool plans now known as “New Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP)” and also the deadline for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to launch a new insurance web portal.

Register for C3′s upcoming webinar to learn more about the new health care reform law including: upcoming implementation deadlines; opportunities for advocates to get involved; and an explanation of how the law will affect the colorectal cancer community.

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