Fwd: Call to Action for GDA Members!

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> Date: December 12, 2011 7:55:29 AM EST

> To: v.weaverrd@...

> Subject: Call to Action for GDA Members!

> Reply-To: info@...

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> CALL TO ACTION!

>

> Dear GDA members,

>

> By now you may have received an email from the ADA president, Sylvia

Escott-Stump MA, RD, LDN, regarding Obesity Intensive Behavioral Therapy

Medicare coverage (click here for full email). The decision by CMS has been

received with mixed feelings but where there are challenges, there are

opportunities.

>

> As your Public Policy Coordinator, I would like to take this opportunity to

encourage you to take the suggested action steps that the ADA has outlined:

>

> 1. First and foremost, visit the 'Grassroots Manager' Action Alert for this

issue. You will need to login, verify your contact information (which is

automatically inserted) and then you are welcome to edit the letter content

before sending it to your US Congressmen. If you are working alongside PCPs or

are in a private practice, exemplify your role in obesity management and the

positive outcomes your practice has experienced as a result of your services.

This process will take but a few minutes to complete. At some point, we will be

reaching out to you again to conduct a similar Action Alert for a secondary

campaign concerning this issue.

>

> 2. Sign the Petition and share this with colleagues and friends using your

social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. The petition still

requires over 15,000 signatures by January 7th 2012. You will need to create a

temporary account. It takes just 2 minutes.

>

> 3. Bear in mind that our US Congressmen do return to their districts

periodically. Reach out to their district offices. You can arrange to meet with

their staff to discuss this issue. Talking Points are attached to provide

direction on the content of your meetings. We want to ensure that our message is

consistent and that our voices are aligned. Remember, meeting with congressional

staff that oversee food, nutrition and health policy is invaluable. They are

extremely resourceful and have the time to listen to and consider our messages.

>

> For general resources to assist you in conducting these meetings, visit

www.eatrightgeorgia.org, login as a member and under 'Professional Resources'

there are some materials for 'Legislation and Advocacy'.

>

> The link below will assist you in locating your US Congressmen. Our Senators

are Chambliss and Isakson, but Representatives vary depending on where you live.

To determine who your Representative is, type in your zip code in the space

provided on the top right hand side of the site: http://www.house.gov/

>

> 4. If you have responded to Actions Alerts, and are comfortable with

conducting meetings with our Congressmen and/or their staff, you may want to

consider inviting them out to the field to observe RDs in practice in obesity

management. Although letters and emails help and are valuable, we are hearing

more and more that our Congressmen are making themselves or their staff more

available to attend 'events'. These can range from field visits to fundraising

events (The GDA has a PAC to assist with this). If you want to learn more on

this, please contact me to discuss the logistics and objectives.

>

> 5. Please reach out to the GDA Public Policy and Reimbursement Committee

members (contact info below). We are working hard to track and respond to these

issues, and are building statewide relationships with colleagues and with our

state legislators to ensure that as Affordable Care Act is implemented in

Georgia, RDs are present at the table to outline regulations that promote our

professional efforts and protect our licensure and credentials.

>

> This issue is a ripe opportunity for RDs to garner support for the expansion

of MNT coverage and reimbursement by Medicare. Everyday, many of us are

providing MNT, or as CMS has labelled it, 'Intensive Behavioral Therapy'. Our US

Congressmen need to hear from us. They need to be enlightened on how we are

contributing to obesity management, and how critical it is to ensure that RDs

are the providers of MNT to ensure appropriate, evidence-based, and sound

nutritional care. It is entirely up to us to do this.

>

> Please feel free to contact me with any questions you have.

>

> Warm regards and Happy Holidays,

> Avasthi MS, RD, LD

> jess.avasthi@...

> Public Policy Coordinator

>

> GDA Public Policy & Reimbursement Committee Members

> Avasthi, Public Policy Coordinator, jess.avasthi@...

> Sharon , State Policy Representative, sharon@...

> Amy Roark, Reimbursement Committee Chair, amy.roark@...

> Angelo Capazzoli, Reimbursement Committee Co-Chair, angelo@...

> Gail Stinson, Licensure Liaison, gstinson@...

> Sara Galbraith, State Regulatory Specialist, sara@...

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