Health%20Initiatives%20in%20the%20Era%20of%20Healthcare%20Reform

1
Health Initiatives in the Era of Healthcare Reform

• Taking Health into Our Own Hands Working the
  Iron Triangle

2
Healthcare Costs represent an increasing of
GDP- 650B more for Cancer Treatment
3
National Healthcare Quality Report - 2007

• Preventive healthcare lags significantly behind
  other gains in healthcare.
• Access to care and information varied widely
  between racial/ethnic groups and by
  socio-economic status
• Source www.ahrq.gov

4
American Cancer Society Disparity Study - 2007

• Cancer patients with private insurance are much
  more likely to be diagnosed early, increasing
  their long-term survival
• Those uninsured patients or those with Government
  insurance are more likely to be diagnosed with
  advanced stage disease at first treatment

5
The Iron Triangle

• Building Health Empowerment
• Community/Patient Interest Groups
• Government enabling agencies
• Congress

6
The Mandate

• Health is an indirect measure of a societys
  collective democracy.
• Rudolf Virchow

7
Prostate Cancer Advocacy

• Carol Christner
• Director, Government Relations
• Karmanos Cancer Institute

8
What is Advocacy?

• Advocacy is the action of supporting a cause or
  proposal.
• It can be political, as in advocating for a
  specific piece of legislation.
• It can be social and intellectual, as in speaking
  out on behalf of those without a voice.

9
How to Advocate

• Define the problem
• Prostate cancer incidence and survivor rates are
  significantly higher for African Americans.
• Find an answer
• Funds for research, education, awareness
  outreach, and early detection.
• Identify the target
• House Resolution 313 introduced by Congressman
  Gregory Meeks (NY-6).

10
Communicate Your Message

• Know the facts.
• Do your homework on the issue you wish to
  discuss.
• Review your legislators voting record and
  activities on similar issues.
• Know how your issue affects your legislators
  constituency.
• Every issue has at least two sides. Be prepared
  to respond to the opposing viewpoint.

11
How a Bill Becomes A Law(in the beginning)

• A member of Congress sponsors a bill regarding an
  issue they are concerned with.
• The bill is introduced in the House or Senate.
• The bill is assigned to committee.
• The committee chooses whether
• or not to take action on the bill.

12
Who to Contact

• Senator Carl Levin
• 202-224-6221, www.levin.senate.gov
• Senator Debbie Stabenow
• 202-224-4822, senator_at_stabenow.senate.gov
• Congressman Hansen Clarke
• 202-225-2261, www.hansenclarke.house.gov
• Michigan Senator Coleman Young II
• 517-373-7346, sencyoung_at_senate.michigan.gov
• Michigan Representative Maureen Stapleton
• 517-373-1008, maureenstapleton_at_house.mi.gov
• Mayor Dave Bing
• 313-224-3400, scheduling_at_detroitmi.gov