Richard,

It does not have inaccurate information.

The basic is "Request to remove SGDs from CMS capped rental rule."  We were given the wording from legal.

I hope we can band together on this.  If not, we tried.

Katya
________________________________________
From: xxxxxx@alsa.simplelists.com [xxxxxx@alsa.simplelists.com] On Behalf Of Hurtig, Richard R [xxxxxx@uiowa.edu]
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2014 1:22 PM
To: <xxxxxx@alsa.simplelists.com>
Subject: Re: Speak Out Against CMS capped rental rule

Katya
There are lots of folks who won't sign the petition since it has inaccurate info .
R

Richard Hurtig
Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 24, 2014, at 11:27 AM, "Hill, Katharine Joan" <xxxxxx@pitt.edu<mailto:xxxxxx@pitt.edu>> wrote:

Thank you!  The petition has over 1,000 signatures as of this morning.  That is a great accomplishment for the AAC community.  Keep sharing and caring about issues that are changing how SGDs are funded and categorized.

From: Nick Dougherty [mailto:xxxxxx@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2014 10:58 AM
To: xxxxxx@alsa.simplelists.com<mailto:xxxxxx@alsa.simplelists.com>; Hill, Katharine Joan
Subject: Re: Speak Out Against CMS capped rental rule

Thank you for sharing! Everyone at the VerbalCare<http://verbalcare.com> office just signed.

Fingers crossed it makes a difference!
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Nick Dougherty
Co-Founder | VerbalCare<http://verbalcare.com/>
745 Atlantic Avenue | Boston, MA 02111
617.680.8525 | xxxxxx@verbalapp.co<mailto:xxxxxx@verbalapp.co>
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On Mon, Mar 24, 2014 at 9:53 AM, Hill, Katharine Joan <xxxxxx@pitt.edu<mailto:xxxxxx@pitt.edu>> wrote:
I would like to encourage everyone on the list to sign the petition requesting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to remove SGDs from the capped rental rule.  This rule starts on April 1st and creates a 13 month rental period before individuals with ALS will own their  selected SGD.  If at any time during these 13 months the person enters a hospital, rehab facility, SNF or starts hospice, the rented SGD is removed with the expectation that the health care facility will provide the DME.   Once discharged the assessment and a new rental period must be started to have SGD access.

You can see a video presented by Chris Klein, President of USSAAC created with the support of the AAC Institute and sign the petition at Change.org<http://Change.org> by clicking http://chn.ge/1pfl67f .  For updates on what you can do join the AAC Institute on Facebook or go to www.aacinstitute.org<http://www.aacinstitute.org> and click on Speak out against CMS capped rental rule.

Please, consider sharing with all those impacted by the CMS capped rental rule.  Although professionals’ funding will not be changed, the capped rental rule has a dramatic impact on ownership of a personal SGD and therefore quality of life for those we serve.  If clinical professionals are petitioning to repeal the therapy cap rule which significantly impacts CMS funding, then professionals are obligated to support requesting SGD removal from DME capped rental.

Thank you for your consideration and willingness to take action in solidarity with Medicare beneficiaries.

Katya

Katya Hill, PhD, CCC-SLP
Associate Professor
AAC Performance and Testing Teaching Lab
6017 Forbes Tower
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260