Vote on The  American Health Care Act (AHCA) Cancelled!
The vote on the the American Health Care Act (AHCA) was cancelled last Friday due to lack of support. A huge thank you to all who made your voices heard to protect healthcare for those affected by breast cancer and beyond! 

VBCF will continue to closely monitor efforts to reform health care as well as other policy initiatives in Congress that affect women and men affected by breast cancer. See below for more details on current national issues. 

Yesterday, Governor Terry McAuliffe and his senior health advisers said the failure of the AHCA in Congress on Friday gives Virginia a new chance to accept $2.4 billion a year in federal funding to expand health care coverage. VA Medicaid Expansion

Join VBCF for National Breast Cancer Lobby Day on May 23.
Make your plans now to join VBCF on our bus to DC for  National Breast Cancer Lobby Day  on May 23! No experience is necessary.   For more information and to register, visit  VBCF National Advocacy Day !

National Action Needed:
VBCF opposes  H.R. 1313 - The Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act - 
which would allow companies to require employees to undergo  genetic testing  or risk paying a penalty of thousands of dollars and provide employers genetic and other health information.  Use  CallMyCongress.com  to look up your U.S. Representative make your voice heard!

A recent opinion piece in the New York Times offers a doctor/patient perspective on HR1313:   NYT Opinion: Don't Discriminate Against Mutants Like Me , 

VBCF supports funding for the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program (DOD BCRP) in the FY2018 DOD Appropriations bill.  In order to maintain funding for the DOD BCRP, money must be appropriated by Congress. Representatives King (R-NY), McGovern (D-MA), Costello (R-PA) and Hastings (D-FL) are circulating a "Dear Colleague Letter," asking House Members to sign a letter to the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee leadership, supporting level funding for the DOD BCRP.   The deadline for signing is Friday, March 31st.  

The good news is several Virginia Members of Congress have already signed onto this letter: Rep. Scott Taylor (R-2nd) Rep. Robert Scott (D-3rd) Rep. Donald McEachin (D-4th) Rep. Donald Beyer (D-8th) Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-10th) Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-11th).

If your Representative is not on this list, contact them today and ask them to support breast cancer research by signing on to the letter  calling for level funding-$120 million-for the DOD peer-reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program for FY 2018.  

Lymphedema Treatment Act
Experts estimate that from 20% to 30% of women will experience some level of lymphedema after breast cancer surgery or radiation.The Lymphedema Treatment Act ( HR 930 and SB 497) would change Medicare law to cover compression supplies-setting an important precedent for Medicaid and other insurers to do the same. For more information and to take action, go to Breast Cancer Action. Virginia legsilators who are co-sponsors of the House bill include:  Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-10th), Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-9th), Rep. Bobby Scott (D-3rd), and Rep. Wittman (R-1st).

NOTE: If you contact your legislators, please let us know by using the VBCF Advocacy Activity tracker. Thank you. 

General Assembly Wrap-Up
Read a summary of the 2017 General Assembly and view a list of the legislation VBCF followed and how bills progressed.

Questions: [email protected]

  Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation | 800-345-VBCF |   w ww.vbcf.org
STAY CONNECTED: