NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION!

Tuesday, June 23rd

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act HR 2048, has unprecedented bipartisan support in Congress, yet it still has not received a vote. Today, Tuesday, June 23, breast cancer advocates from across the country will be on Capitol Hill asking a simple question:

With this much support, what is Congress waiting for?

We need advocates everywhere to join this effort. Please see below for how you can join the National Breast Cancer Coalitions' DAY OF ACTION today, JUNE 23rd

Background:

• Patients living with metastatic breast cancer face onerous waiting periods for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)- 5 months) and Medicare (2 years) despite having an incurable, life-limiting diagnosis and qualifying for these benefits.
• Women are dying while still waiting for the benefits they have earned through years of work.
• The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act H.R. 2048 would remove these waiting periods and allow metastatic breast cancer patients to access their benefits for critical health care sooner and lessen their financial burden.
• The bill has the support of 250 bipartisan members of Congress - including every one of Virginia's U.S. Representatives and two-thirds of the members of the House Ways & Means Committee, where it sits awaiting action



WAYS TO TAKE ACTION TODAY, Tuesday, June 23rd

ACTION #1

Call the Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) at (202) 225-4404 and share the following message:

"My name is [NAME], and I'm a breast cancer advocate. I urge Chairman Smith to bring the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act (H.R. 2048) to the committee for markup. Patients are dying while waiting for benefits they qualify for."

This takes only a few minutes, and every call to his office helps reinforce the urgency of this legislation and the need for Congress to act.

ACTION #2

• Email your representative and senators through NBCC’s action center and ask them to use their influence to move the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act forward. All of Virginia's Representatives are co-sponsors of this bill, which is fantastic. But, now we need their help to move this bill!

• Call the Capitol Switchboard (202-224-3121) to be connected to your Representative’s office. Use the script below to ask for their help: 

"Hello, I’m a constituent and breast cancer advocate. I want to thank Representative [NAME] for cosponsoring H.R. 2048, the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act. I’m urging them to do everything they can to help ensure H.R. 2048/S 3442 passes this year. With unprecedented bipartisan support, what is Congress waiting for? 

Thank you for raising your voice on behalf of people living with metastatic breast cancer!

Please let me know if you get responses or feedback  

Thank you for all you do!  Let's keep up the fight! 

Questions: Contact Kirsta Millar

kirsta@vbcf.org or 804-285-1200 ext. 203.