Part Two - Sample Letter to Governor Brownback

Here's a sample letter you can send to the Governor. Cut, paste, edit - do whatever you like, but please send during the month of April!

Governor Sam Brownback

Capitol, 300 SW 10th Ave., Ste. 241S

Topeka, KS 66612-1590

Dear Governor Brownback,

I am writing in support of your decision to declare the month of April as “Limb Loss Awareness Month” in Kansas. This is an important step towards raising awareness of health and lifestyle changes to prevent limb loss but also to highlight the health care disparities that many with limb loss face.

For example, Kansas state employees who are covered by the State health care contract, drafted by the Kansas Health Policy Authority, do not receive the same standard of care that is customary by the Veteran’s Administration, Medicare and Medicaid. In order for a Kansas state employee to receive the same standard of care, they would have to pay $20-30,000 out of pocket. Financially, an employee would be better off to quit working and accept disability so that they could afford a prosthesis. Many do - or mortgage their homes and wipe out savings or retirement accounts.

To date, nineteen states have passed a parity law to prevent this type of health disparity. Please consider changing the state health care plan to cover prosthetics on par with medical coverage. For example, coverage for prosthetic care should at least meet Medicare standards (80 percent paid by plan, 20 percent by patient, no exemptions on microprocessor devices, 5-year useful lifetime limit).

All people with limb loss who pay for insurance should receive appropriate and medically necessary treatment: their arms and legs. Prosthetics provide dignity and self-reliance. Prosthetics put people back to work. Returning amputees to the workforce strengthens a community and its economy.

Sincerely,

New Governor - New Support

I received a message from the Amputee Coalition of America yesterday, letting me know that the new Governor of Kansas, Sam Brownback, is going to designate the month of April as "Limb Loss Awareness Month" with a signing ceremony on Friday, March 25th. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the signing ceremony which makes me very unhappy since any recognition of limb loss by the state is a huge step in the right direction. While I doubt that Kansas will put forth a bill for prosthetic parity before the Federal bills pass, maybe Kansas will at least remove the restrictions from the state employee health care contract that only allows the most rudimentary prosthetics and orthotics, denying their employees prosthetics that even state Medicaid recipients are entitled to. Prosthetics that are commonly prescribed and provided under Medicare, Medicaid and the VA are deemed "luxury items" for state employees. Therefore, state employees who pay ever increasing insurance premiums are not covered. Please write Governor Brownback and encourage him to start by changing prosthetic benefits for state employees. Individuals who pay for insurance through premiums should receive appropriate and medically necessary treatment: their arms and legs.

Prosthetics provide dignity and self-reliance. Prosthetics put people back to work. Returning amputees to the workforce strengthens a community and its economy.