We're going to be blunt, because there isn't a lot of time.
There will be a Congressional briefing on the Impact of CMS Competitive Bidding Program on Medicare Beneficiary Safety and Access to Diabetes Testing Supplies Analysis on Monday, June 20th at 9am in 121 Cannon House Office Building.All that the House office representative (or their appropriate legislative aide) needs to do is RSVP Erica Stocker at estocker@mwe.com to say that someone will be there to learn about this issue which impacts 11 million Americans with diabetes.
All 285 House representatives of the Diabetes and Black Caucuses have been formally invited.
How many have RSVPed as of this moment?
ELEVEN.
Eleven. Despite the hundreds of letters and calls that have been sent by their own constituents. (And we know who have received these emails.)
A special thanks to Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), Rep. Diana DeGuette (D-CO), Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY), Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Rep, David Price (D-NC), and Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL) for their RSVP.
We applaud their dedication to the Caucuses on which they serve.
We recognize that many Caucus members do NOTHING for people with diabetes. (If you want to know who does and who doesn't, it's easy: www.diabetespac.org/scorecard will give you the information on diabetes issues.), but we are asking them to simply learn - not even co-sponsor a bill or take a stand - just learn.
TAKE ACTION NOW
If you are a person with diabetes who can vote for your representative, ask them to attend. (At this point, we want all representatives to at least know about it.) It's easy. Click here. If you are a House representative or a staffer, we encourage you to RSVP and show your interest and support. Email estocker@mwe.com right now and show up. We will be happy to see you there.