Inspiring! I do think the attendees of CELA 2010, especially the over 50 consumers, made a difference and inspired the Hill! Besides attending some very interesting educational seminars, we hit the Hill. You may wonder what I mean by the “Hill”. When I say the “Hill” I am talking about “Capitol Hill” and the surrounding Congressional office building. It’s the place you go when you want to talk with your Senators or Congressional members in Washington D.C.
The objectives of CELA and our visits to Capitol Hill were to:
- Create an understanding for future legislation supporting a Separate Benefit in Medicare for Complex Rehab Technology.
- Thanking our Congress person for signing on to H.R.-3790, or discussed why they needed to sign on to this important legislation. H.R.-3790 amends title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare competitive acquisition program for durable medical equipment and prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) in a budget neutral manner.
- Our last objective was to invite our members of Congress to visit our companies, be it, Suppliers, Rehab facilities, or Manufacturers during their August recess to help them gain actual sight experiences with Complex Rehab Technology and the consumers who use it.
A big thanks to CELA Team Minnesota!
I want to personally thank the Minnesota CELA team of Marcia Margolis PT at Fairview University Hospitals & temporary consumer, Derek Anderson, Brian Crenna and Jackie Semrad dedicated suppliers from Reliable Medical and Mark Schmitt, a consumer and manufacturer for making my CELA 2010 experience inspiring.
Have you thought about inspiring others in Washington D.C.? I strongly encourage those just thinking about CELA 2011, to get off the fence post and just do it!
It’s great to see the faces of the local people who are making a difference in Minnesota! Thank you! And thanks to all the people in other states who have stepped up and attended CELA 2010!