REP. Pascrell, Kessler Foundation Announce Progress in Closing the
2011-10-19 10:11:17 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 18, 2011 Congressman has teamed up with Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' office, Kessler Foundation to address treatment disparities among people who have sustained brain injuries.
WEST ORANGE, N.J. – Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-8), co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Brain Injury Caucus, joined Jordan Grafman, Ph.D., Director of Traumatic Brain Injury Research at Kessler Foundation, and Jane Concato, a traumatic brain injury advocate, today to announce the latest progress in closing the so-called "treatment gap" among individuals who have sustained brain injuries.
On Oct. 7, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that their definition of medical necessity under their essential health benefits regulations be flexible and take into account medical services that produce incremental health benefits even if there are added costs.
The recommendation followed efforts in April by Rep. Pascrell and the staff of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ-8) to urge Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to ensure that all Americans with traumatic brain injury will have access to quality, affordable care through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
The Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) requires that certain insurance plans offer a package of diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic services and products that have been defined as “essential” by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
“Now is the time to ensure that rehabilitative services essential to recovery from disabling injuries and illnesses are included,” said Rep. Pascrell.
Today, Dr. Bruce Gans, chief medical officer at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, testified before HHS in Washington, D.C. and recommended that the ACA's essential benefits cover rehabilitative care, including treatment for brain injuries.
"While Kessler has been performing miracles for their patients and helping to restore their lives, it is sad to know that people with TBI across this country and even in this state do not have access to treatments that could help them to live more independent lives," said Pascrell. "One of the many lessons we all learned from the bravery of Congresswoman Giffords this year is that with the proper treatments, patients with brain injury can return to work and restore their functioning. I am pleased to announce that in their final recommendations to the Secretary, the Institute of Medicine cited my statements on this issue and recognized the importance of creating flexibility so that patients can get services to help restore their functioning. I call upon Secretary Sebelius to make these recommendations the law of the land. Patients nationwide should get the same care that patients at Kessler receive here and at other facilities around the nation.”
“As someone who has worked with Vietnam Veterans who suffered combat-related traumatic brain injuries for most of my 30-year career, I recognize the key role that rehabilitation can play in evaluating and treating patients with traumatic brain injury,” said Dr. Grafman. “Rehabilitation is designed to improve function in those abilities that directly predict whether someone with a traumatic brain injury returns to work or adjusts back to family life. It is critical that patients with brain injury have access to these irreplaceable individually tailored rehabilitation therapies.”
Also in attendance were Neil Jasey Jr., M.D., Director of TBI at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Monique Tremaine, Ph.D., Clinical Manager of Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Nancy Chiaravalloti, Ph.D., Director of Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research at Kessler Foundation.
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About Kessler Foundation
Kessler Foundation is the largest public charity in the field of disability. Kessler Foundation Research Center advances care through rehabilitation research in its seven specialized laboratories under the leadership of noted research directors. Research focuses on improving function and quality of life for persons with injuries of the spinal cord and brain, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and other chronic neurological conditions. Kessler Foundation Program Center fosters new approaches to the persistently high rates of unemployment among people disabled by injury or disease. Targeted grant making funds promising programs across the nation. Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, people recovering from catastrophic injuries and stroke, and young adults striving for independence are among the thousands of people finding jobs and training for careers as a result of the commitment of Kessler Foundation.
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