I've seen too many Veterans with deteriorating teeth and unable to insure their overall health because of this circumstance.

Over half a million currently uninsured Georgians would receive coverage if the legislature voted to expand Medicaid. Additionally, Medicaid expansion would go a long way toward keeping Georgia hospitals from closing their doors. This is not a partisan issue; it is a human issue.

This June, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to cut $300 million from global AIDS programs. This cut comes on top of an additional $600 million in cuts since 2011. The result of the proposed budget cut would be the lowest rate of enrollment in antiretroviral treatment since PEPFAR’s inception – almost flat-lining after years of steep improvements. Full funding of PEPFAR is absolutely essential in ensuring that millions of people living with HIV/AIDS are receiving high quality antiretroviral therapy. The Senate’s proposal to flat fund PEPFAR threatens to leave millions of people with HIV relegated to waitlists instead of starting life-saving treatment. We demand that Senator Mikulski speak up to restore the Senate’s proposed $300 million cut to PEPFAR. As Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Mikulski has the power to ensure the reversal of these cuts. She must not allow a lack of political will to result in the devastation of global AIDS programs.

Your immediate action is needed to urge Governor Jack Markell to VETO HB 359. HB 359 would allow physical therapists to perform "dry needling" with a verbal referral from a physician. "Dry needling" is another name for one specific technique within the practice of acupuncture and is performed using acupuncture needles. This form of acupuncture, referred to as "dry needling" by physical therapists is not within the scope of practice of physical therapists thereby presenting a significant risk to patient and public health safety. Physical therapists are not trained in the therapeutic use of needles nor the theoretical and clinical foundation to perform such techniques. "Dry needling certification" is not accredited by any credible certifying agency and is obtainable by physical therapists over a weekend course in contrast to the 1,800 (300 clinical) contact hours required by an acupuncturist to perform the same techniques. Accordingly, HB 359 will potentially place the general public in significant danger of injury and harm due to unsafe and unqualified needle practices. It will further place an undue burden on the lawful practice of medicine and acupuncture. By signing this petition, you will send a clear message to Governor Markell that HB 359 will negatively impact the standard of healthcare and safety of Delawareans. Thank you for your commitment to patient safety. Lee Andrew DeLorme, Director, First State Healthcare Advocacy Michael Taromina, Esq.

My daughter Allye was misdiagnosed as a child with mental health issues, when in reality she should have been identified as being on the autism spectrum. By age 7, her disability issues were profound enough that not only did she start spending extended periods of time confined in mental hospitals, but started receiving SSI benefits. She is almost 28-years old, and she is still having major disability issues, and she is still receiving SSI as her only source of income. As a child, Allye had access to day programs and services that helped her to learn appropriate skills to function day-to-day in her world. Unfortunately, now that she is an adult, she is no longer eligible for those same programs that so tremendously helped her. As a consequence, she cannot interpret properly all that is happening around her, and she is unable to move away from the home due to her vulnerability and lack of access to appropriate care. Also, as her parent and primary caregiver, my life is in constant distress with moments that could best be described as nightmarish, full of fear. Back in 2006, I attempted to get Allye services through the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DD), through the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This entity deemed in 2007, through a court appeal, that Allye was not eligible for their services because of her IQ being too high. They rejected the provisions laid out by medical professionals that demonstrated she met the requirements for their program through other means as stipulated in “Nebraska Revised Statutes §§ 83-1205, 1209 and 12-1216, and Title 404 NAC, Chapter 3 of the Nebraska Administrative Code” (see http://dhhs.ne.gov/developmental_disabilities/Pages/DD-Eligibility-2.aspx). Now, seven years later, we are back in Appeals court with further documentation from two different psychologists—one of who specializes in females with autism, another who was hired by DHHS to verify not only that she had autism, but the extent of her disability issues—and DD/DHHS has filed a motion to dismiss the case on the grounds that a previous decision had been made claiming no new evidence had been provided about her having a developmental disability AND that the decision they had made in 2007 had been a final decision . . . yet they looked at both psychological reports as new evidence; they also allowed for me to appeal their decision of “No” allowing for me to participate in an Informal Dispute Resolution last November 2013. And in the event that my daughter is to be able to continue with her appeal, DD/DHHS has requested of the judge that any evidence from 2007 admitted into court not be allowed this time around to help in proving that she qualifies for their services. Why should Allye have to JUSTIFY her need for services—that is, programs only accessible if an individual is defined as developmentally-disabled—if three or more psychologists are already defining her as developmentally-disabled and able to provide documentation providing verification of their determination? Why should she, and others like her, be forced into the position of being holed up in family’s basements and extra bedrooms because they cannot access those services they need to be able to live as independently as possible as adults functioning in the cog of society? Tell Nebraska’s state representatives, its governor, and the leadership of DHHS to stop bullying around our autistic adults; to give them a chance to live a quality level of life as all individuals are entitled in the United States of America; to provide our adult autistic community access to services on both the behavioral health and developmental-disability sides of service through Nebraska’s DHHS.

The Administration, led by the Office of National Aids Policy and HHS Office of HIV / AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, in partnership with other Federal agencies, state and local governments, communities and people living with HIV, have made tremendous progress in HIV /AIDS in the United States over the last four years. Together, we are committed to accelerating our efforts to reach the Strategy's goals and, eventually, attain an AIDS-Free generation. Smart investments and collaborations by providing funds for free condoms to the public will provide opportunities to scale up efforts so that community affected by HIV can contribute to achieving the goals of the Strategy.

I'm starting this petition on the behalf of my son Allen A. Chambers who I no longer have with me due to insensitive hospital staff . My son went in for outpatient surgery at Sacred Heart Hospital to correct to his sleep apnea. After a successful surgery he was taken to triage to recover where he never woke up again. At the time of death I was notified that Allen came through the surgery fine but in triage the tube was pull out before he was able to catch his breath. After looking at the monitor they realized his breathing was off and tried to reinsert the tube but it was to late. All staff gathered and the surgeon gave his explanation , then followed by the anesthesiologist. I was informed that the problem lay with the triage staff. I was sent an anonymous letter by hospital staff informing me that the tube was pulled before he had time to catch his breath and the lady over that shift has done this several times before with no repercussions. I reside in North Carolina and I have tried numerous times to get an answer and my son's death's certificate that they will not release and no help is being offered. They closed my case and refused to give me any information about it. My son fought in the Army for twenty years, and he served his country well; it is heart breaking knowing that he lost his life at the hands of a cold hearted individual. It hurts me when I see my family and others out with their children and I have nothing but a memory. Allen deserves justice and I deserve an explanation. These senseless hospital murders have to stop!

Please be aware, under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) it is health care policy to afford access to lifesaving treatment with provision of medical food to children and discriminate against prospective enrollees because of AGE for phenylketonuria (PKU), a liver enzyme deficiency or inborn error of amino acid metabolism (IEM) which requires a severely restricted, lifelong therapeutic diet. Failure to continuously treat PKU results in devastating clinical outcomes, even into adulthood – such as mental illness, psychological disorders and neurological deterioration that are otherwise preventable. It is the responsibility of the US federal government to assure EQUALITY in the provision of successful working conditions and BENEFITS for the recruitment and retainment of a world-class workforce, for all federal employees - including myself - who live with PKU and equally fulfill a critical role in the provision of safe, quality health care for the nation’s Veterans. Such inappropriate discriminatory health care policy compromises public health and safety for employees with IEM, fails to comply with the Affordable Care Act and many state mandates, and does not uphold key, quality measures that integrate scientific research with clinical practice as necessary to meet national patient safety goals and standards. America does not tolerate discrimination. Despite evidence from leading medical and scientific experts and governmental partners (NIH, FDA, academia, many medical specialty societies, and industrial leaders in nutritional therapy), individual constituent matters have been passed to bureaucrats who lack the experience and expertise in the clinical management of specialized, rare genetic disorders such as PKU. No action has been taken by policy makers to address the blatant discrimination, health care disparity and inequity under the existing FEHBP plan structure - as has been for years. I am calling on your executive authority to do whatever you can to intervene while the legislative branch has been stagnant and inadvertent – for decades – as evidenced by more than 35 years having passed since the original call for Medical Foods Equity. Because Congress has failed to pass any patient protections to resolve policy problems, these issues of the past have now evolved to 21st century obstacles to access medically essential treatment. This irresponsible governance leaves a minority population of federal employees unnecessarily and unjustifiably disenfranchised from the US health care system for which they contribute. This is not the American way, and goes against the principle, fundamental core values and freedoms of our American democracy for which this country was founded. Please heed the call and echoes from President Roosevelt’s 1941 Four Freedoms speech and remind Congress, “Since the beginning of our American history, we have been engaged in change - in a perpetual peaceful revolution – a revolution which goes on steadily, quietly adjusting itself to changing conditions.” The government needs to change and do more - Empower - Do Not Discriminate against essential health care workers who successfully serve an integral role in public health and as stewards of taxpayers’ dollars. Medical food saved my life and my children’s lives. Continuous provision necessitates the discriminatory policy be removed so the federal workforce’s most essential asset –the people - have equal opportunity to serve, and to live a lifetime with dignity, integrity, and respect. I refuse to be handicapped by the US federal government anymore.

I LOST MY DAUGHTER AND MY GRANDSONS DUE TO THE MENTAL HEATH LAW IN PLACE. PRIORITY NEEDS TO BE PUT IN PLACE. BEFORE A MENTALLY ILL PERSON COMMITS A CRIME .

Veterans that have served their country honorably should NOT have to pay a co-pay on prescription drugs. Especially veterans who are disabled and on a pension or social security disability. Isn't it hardship enough that the veteran is disabled?

My daughter's family has gone bankrupt due to medical expenses for their very ill child. This happened DESPITE having 'insurance'. They can barely afford decent food even though both are working. Extended family has helped out as much as they can. There is a very negative ripple effect when a crisis as described above happens: not only the immediate family is traumatized, but extended family and friends as well. Lives are put on hold, productivity goes down, depression sets in. It is in everyone's interest that we unconditionally take care of our young, if not out of noble intentions, then because the young will eventually be the ones who take care of us. HOW they take care of us may well be determined by how well we take care of them.

As a dental provider, I know that dental diseases are preventable. As a taxpayer, I don't want to pay for the creation of another dental provider to treat a preventable disease. Help the public understand that creating a midlevel provider, isn't the same as focusing on putting an end to dental diseases. We should be working to end dental diseases. Dental hygienists in schools, (with the goal of ending dental diseases for all children) in areas of LIMITED DENTAL ACCESS could happen now! Research is available that this type of intervention (done in 1979) ended dental diseases as we know them in schools, in Sweden. BMC Oral Health Proceedings Open Access The Effect of a Needs-Related Caries Preventive Program in Children and Young Adults – Results after 20 Years P Axelsson* Address: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Public Dental Health Service, Karlstad, Sweden Email: P Axelsson* - [email protected] * Corresponding author Abstract The risk for caries development in children varies significantly for different age groups, individuals, teeth, and surfaces. Thus from a cost-effectiveness point of view, caries preventive measures must be integrated and based on predicted risk from age group down to individual tooth surfaces. Based on this philosophy and experiences from continuously ongoing research on evaluating and reevaluating separate and integrated caries preventive measures, as well as methods for prediction of caries risk, a needs-related caries preventive program was introduced for all 0–19-year-olds in the county of Värmland, Sweden, in 1979. The goals for the subjects following the program from birth to the age of 19 years were: 1. To have no approximal restorations. 2. To have no occlusal amalgam restorations. 3. To have no approximal loss of periodontal attachment. 4. To motivate and encourage individuals to assume responsibility for their own oral health. The effect of the program is evaluated once every year on almost 100% of all 3–19-year-olds in a computer-aided epidemiologic program from 1979. Most of the individualized preventive program was carried out by dental hygienists or prophy dental assistants at clinics in the elementary schools. During the 20-year period the percentage of caries-free 3-year-olds increased from 51% to 97%. In 1999 as many as 86% of the 12-year-olds were caries free. Caries incidence was reduced more than 90% in all age groups. More than 90% did not develop any new caries lesions in 1999. As a consequence, caries prevalence was dramatically reduced. In 12- and 19-year-olds, the mean number of Decayed and Filled Surfaces (DFS) per individual was reduced from 6 to 0.3 and from 23 to 2 respectively. In 19-year-olds the mean number of approximal DFS was <1, and only 0.5 had to be filled. The mean number of occlusal DFS was <1. Since 1995 we have not been allowed to use amalgam in 1–19-year-olds in Sweden. As an effect of our high quality plaque program, approximal attachment loss was prevented, and by efficient education in self-care based on selfdiagnosis, needs-related self-care habits were established. Thus it can be concluded that nearly 100% of our goals had been achieved. from Biotechnology and Biomaterials to Reduce the Caries Epidemic Seattle, USA. 13–15 June 2005 Published: 10 July 2006 BMC Oral Health 2006, 6(Suppl 1):S7 doi:10.1186/1472-6831-6-S1-S7 <p>Biotechnology and Biomaterials to Reduce the Caries Epidemic</p> Rebecca L Slayton, James D Bryers, Peter Milgrom Proceedings http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1472-6831-6-S1-info.pdf © 2006 Axelsson; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Let's work to end dental diseases in Washington State NOW!