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Bone Health Advocacy E-News

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In this issue

NOF Supports Legislation to Protect Patient Access to Osteoporosis Testing
Bone Coalition Hosts Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill
Five NOF Nominees Selected to Participate in Research Grant Review Panels
Meet Linda Johnson: Advocate for Bone Health
NOF’s Silver Silhouette Awards Dinner Honors Advocates for Better Bone Health
NOF is Now on Facebook and Twitter

NOF Supports Legislation to Protect Patient Access to Osteoporosis Testing

Bone density tests are critical for detecting osteoporosis and preventing debilitating and costly fractures before they occur. Current and proposed Medicare reimbursement cuts for Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) testing may impact access to care by making it harder for those with and at risk for osteoporosis to be tested. In April, U.S. Senators Blanche Lincoln (Arkansas) and Olympia Snowe (Maine), and U.S. Representatives Shelley Berkley (Nevada) and Michael Burgess (Texas), introduced the “Medicare Fracture Prevention and Osteoporosis Testing Act of 2009” (S. 769/H.R. 1894), which would roll back Medicare reimbursement cuts for DXA testing and authorize a study of how these cuts would impact patients.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) is among 36 patient, professional, health and community organizations that have endorsed S. 769/H.R. 1894. Many of these organizations joined forces, and in conjunction with an educational briefing on June 10, patients, doctors and NOF staff visited Members of Congress to emphasize the need to protect patient access to bone density tests through support for S. 769/H.R. 1894. Learn more…

Many of you have contacted your Members of Congress to urge them to protect patient access to osteoporosis testing by cosponsoring S. 796/H.R. 1894. Thanks to NOF supporters like you, hundreds of messages have been sent to Congress via e-mail and postcards, and the legislation now has 99 cosponsors in the House and 13 in the Senate!

In the coming weeks, Senate and House Committees responsible for healthcare reform plan to begin voting on health reform legislation. We need you to ask your Members of Congress to support of S. 796/H.R. 1894 so that it can be included healthcare reform! 

Take action today by sending a message or calling your Members of Congress!

Bone Coalition Hosts Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill

On May 21, 2009, the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), in conjunction with the National Coalition for Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases (Bone Coalition), hosted a congressional briefing featuring the release of the National Action Plan for Bone Health and unveiled proposed legislation that would prioritize bone health through the creation of a National Bone Health Program.

U.S. Representatives Shelley Berkley from Nevada and Michael C. Burgess, M.D., from Texas emphasized the importance of improving bone health awareness and encouraged lawmakers to support the “Bone Health Promotion and Research Act,” which they plan to introduce soon. The proposed legislation would enhance the activities of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by augmenting educational activities on bone health at the national and state levels; authorizing grants and cooperative agreements to facilitate the collection, analysis and reporting of data regarding osteoporosis; expand and intensify research activities at National Institutes of Health (NIH) on osteoporosis and related bone diseases; and establishing an Osteoporosis and Related Bone Disease Advisory Committee to advise the CDC and the NIH. The briefing also featured medical experts as well as an osteoporosis patient and an Osteogenesis Imperfecta patient. Learn more about the briefing...

Five NOF Nominees Selected to Participate in Research Grant Review Panels

The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) selected five of the advocates nominated by the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) to participate on their peer review panels, which will review research applications, including proposals on osteoporosis and related bone diseases and clinical trials, submitted for the fiscal year 2009 Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP). NOF advocates will contribute their patient perspectives on the potential impact of the proposed work on improved medical care and enhanced quality of life.

Learn more about the five nominees who will participate in the CDMRP.

Meet Linda Johnson: Advocate for Bone Health

After suffering several painful fractures, Linda Johnson was finally diagnosed with osteoporosis at age 43. Although at first she was relieved to have a diagnosis, Linda was devastated when she learned that because she was premenopausal, there was little her doctor could do to help prevent future bone loss. That was back in 1991. Today, Linda has found an exercise and treatment plan that works for her and is an advocate for better bone health. On May 21, 2009 Linda shared her story at a congressional briefing held as part of National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month.

“Someone once asked me if osteoporosis hurts. I had to think about it for a moment, and then I told her that osteoporosis is called the “silent disease” because, like termites in a house, we do not hear these termites as they eat away at the foundation of our homes. It isn’t until the beams holding our homes together are weakened and our home starts to fall down that we suddenly hear and feel the problem. Osteoporosis is silent, and often painless, while our bones are quietly becoming weaker, until it screams at you with the pain of your first fracture.” Read Linda’s story.

NOF’s Silver Silhouette Awards Dinner Honors Advocates for Better Bone Health

The National Osteoporosis Foundation’s (NOF) Silver Silhouette Awards Dinner, on May 20, 2009, celebrated 25th years of promoting better bone health. The event, held annually during National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month, recognized several outstaying individuals including two-time Academy Award-winning actress and patient advocate, Sally Field; business leaders and proponents, Jan and Phil Fenty; and founder and chairman of EmpowHer.com, Michelle King Robson. NOF also paid special tribute to its late founding chairman, the Honorable Paul G. Rogers.

The awards dinner brought together nearly 350 guests who share a passion for bone health and osteoporosis prevention everyone from advocates and NOF Trustees, to support group leaders and Members of Congress. Notable speakers included mistress of ceremonies Janet Hubert, entrepreneur and actress best known for her role on the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air;” U.S. Representative Michael C. Burgess, M.D., physician and bone health champion; and Paula Zahn, respected leader in broadcast media.

Cottonwood, Arizona, NOF support group leader Alice V. Roberts and long-time NOF advocate Linda Johnson attended the dinner and participated in other events planned for National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month. Alice and her husband visited Capitol Hill earlier that week and met with staff in the offices of Senators McCain and Kyl and Representative Kirkpatrick. They shared their stories about living with osteoporosis and Alice’s awareness work in her community. Linda shared her experiences living with the disease at a congressional briefing later that week and is profiled in this issue of the Bone Health Advocacy E-News. Read Linda’s story.

Join NOF as we celebrate our 25th Anniversary by participating in one of our events!

NOF is now on Facebook and Twitter

You can now stay connected with the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) through Facebook and Twitter! Join NOF on Facebook or follow NOF on Twitter and stay up-to-date on information regarding upcoming osteoporosis awareness campaigns, advocacy initiatives related to bone health, educational meetings, special events and more. You can also use these great social media tools to raise awareness of osteoporosis and bone health with friends and family! Visit Facebook and Twitter today!

Winter 2009

In this issue: Respond to NOF's Bone Health Advocates Survey National Action Plan for Bone Health Stimulus Bill Included Investment on Research 2009 Funding for NIH, CDC and AHRQ NOF’s 2009 Legislative Priorities Advocacy Training Meetings in California and New Mexico Osteoporosis Legislation Introduced in New Mexico Meet Alice V. Roberts: Advocate for Bone Health New Advocacy Tool Kit

Respond to NOF’s Bone Health Advocates Survey and Help Us Make Our Advocacy Program Stronger!

NOF is committed to making bone health a reality and a lifelong priority for all individuals. Our advocacy efforts are part of that vision and our advocates are essential to achieving public policy victories that advance bone health and osteoporosis to the top of the national healthcare agenda. Thank you for being an advocate for better bone health! To better tailor our advocacy programs and resources to your needs and interests, we want to learn more about you. (link to survey) We want to provide the tools and information you need to become an effective advocate in your community, at state houses across the country and on Capitol Hill. Together we can raise awareness about the importance of better bone health with policymakers, the media and the public and continue to be a strong voice for strong bones! Please take a moment to complete our advocate survey, which will take just 2-3 minutes. Your survey responses will be confidential, but once the results are compiled, we will share the overall findings with you. Please take the survey now.

National Action Plan for Bone Health On January 22, 2009, the National Coalition for Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases (the Bone Coalition) released a report, National Action Plan for Bone Health: Recommendations from the Summit for a National Action Plan for Bone Health, that will help advance bone health promotion and disease prevention in the United States. The Bone Coalition is comprised of NOF, the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, The Paget Foundation and most recently the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Learn more about the National Action Plan for Bone Health, or download a copy of the report.

Stimulus Bill Included Investment on Research NOF, along with other health organizations, supported the health and research funding included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  The bill, which was signed into law on February 17, 2009 by President Obama, included substantial increases for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the National Science Foundation (NSF) and for prevention and wellness. The Act included $10 billion for NIH, $3 billion to NSF and $1.1 billion to AHRQ for comparative effectiveness research. NOF emphasized to Congress that the legislation should provide for a patient centered framework for comparative effectiveness research, which has been defined by the U.S. government agency that advises Congress on Medicare issues as an “analysis (that) compares the relative value of drugs, devices, diagnostic and surgical procedures, diagnostic tests and medical services.”  The Act also created a prevention and wellness fund of $1 billion, of which $650 million will go to community-based prevention and wellness programs. Through investment, Congress demonstrated its support for the value of scientific and medical research. In addition to ensuring the future health of Americans, NIH grants also support jobs and the economy of local communities.

2009 Funding for NIH, CDC and AHRQ NOF supported increased health funding for Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09).  The Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, signed into law on March 11, 2009 by President Obama, finalized federal funding for FY09,  which runs from October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009. This legislation includes $30.3 billion for NIH. Last year, Congress did not finish the funding bill for FY09, but instead funded NIH at Fiscal Year 2008 (FY08) levels through March of this year. The $30.3 billion appropriation is a 3.2 percent increase over FY08. The bill also includes $6.6 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a 3.7 percent increase over FY08; and $372 million for AHRQ, an 11.3 percent increase over FY08. We will continue to keep you informed on how you can help us with the Fiscal Year 2010 (FY10) federal funding effort!

NOF’s 2009 Legislative Priorities NOF advocates for public health policies that promote access to quality healthcare, bone health education and osteoporosis prevention initiatives and osteoporosis research. In 2009, NOF’s legislative agenda will reflect our commitment to these priorities through support for legislation that advances access to quality care, education, prevention and research.

Access to Quality Healthcare Testing individuals at risk for low bone density and early diagnosis of osteoporosis are critical for the fight against osteoporosis. Medicare reimbursement rates for dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) bone density tests have dropped dramatically, potentially jeopardizing patients' ability to obtain bone density testing. NOF supports the reversal of Medicare reimbursement reductions for DXA, along with a study of reimbursement reductions’ effects on access to bone density testing.  If reimbursement rates continue to fall, many physicians say they will not be able to provide DXAs, impacting the health of many Americans with or at risk for osteoporosis. NOF has been advocating for legislation to ensure access to osteoporosis testing. There are many risk factors for osteoporosis, including age, gender, being small and thin, certain medicines that can cause bone loss and some diseases and conditions. For example, reduced levels of testosterone in men may increase the risk of bone loss, osteoporosis and fractures similar to the way that reduced levels of estrogen in postmenopausal women place them at risk for osteoporosis. Medicare beneficiaries who do not fit into the current coverage categories often do not have access to diagnostic tests and treatment of osteoporosis. NOF will advocate for legislation to secure Medicare coverage of bone density testing to all individuals at clinical risk for osteoporosis.

Education, Prevention and Research Federal and state bone health education and osteoporosis prevention programs are critical to making bone health a reality in the United States. Osteoporosis and the costly fractures and complications often associated with it are largely preventable and treatable. We need to invest in prevention and research initiatives that will improve the quality of life for all Americans now and for generations to come. NOF supports the creation of a National Bone Health Program to enhance bone health promotion, prevention, and surveillance activities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the expansion of research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Bone Health Program would augment bone health education and outreach initiatives and provide grants for comprehensive osteoporosis and related bone diseases surveillance, control and prevention programs. NOF has been advocating for legislation to create this program.

Meet Alice V. Roberts: Advocate for Bone Health Alice was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 1991, 11 years after having a hysterectomy and no hormone replacement therapy because of side effects. In 2004, when she had to go on long-term disability, she decided to write a book, Living Day to Day with Severe Osteoporosis-What Every Person Should Know Regardless of Age. The focus of the book is on living with osteoporosis and preventing and treating the disease. “After learning that I had to go on disability, I spent six weeks sadly wondering why it had to be me, and then I realized I could speak out about this disease. After all, I had been dealing with the challenges of living with osteoporosis for years. I became an advocate for the NOF and started a support group in my local community of Cottonwood, Ariz. I even wrote a book.” Read Alice's story.

 

 Advocacy Tool Kit a New Resource for Advocates for Better Bone Health

NOF’s new Advocacy Tool Kit makes it easy for you to start making a difference today in the fight against osteoporosis! NOF wants you to have the resources and information you need to be an effective advocate for better bone health. That’s why we created the Advocacy Tool Kit. Designed with you in mind, this kit offers materials that outline NOF’s advocacy efforts and public policy priorities and assists you in reaching out to your community, legislators and the media about the importance of better bone health.  This great resource will help you understand how to communicate and meet with elected officials to discuss bone health and osteoporosis legislation. It includes a sample letter to a Member of Congress; describes how to write a letter-to-the-editor of a local newspaper and why these letters are important; and includes an NOF advocacy flyer and information on osteoporosis prevalence data for all fifty states.

Check out the Advocacy Tool Kit, which is available for download in the “Advocacy” section of the NOF Web site

• U.S. House of Representatives Passes the "Mother’s Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act"
• Patient Access to Osteoporosis Testing
• 2009 Funding for the National Institutes of Health
• Strong Voices for Strong Bones Advocacy Training Meeting Held in Arizona
• NOF Holds Hill Briefing to Release New Resource on Osteoporosis
• Meet Dana Kurland: Advocate for Bone Health
• Join NOF in Taking Steps for Strong Bones^TM

U.S. House of Representatives Passes The Mother’s Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act

The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) thanks the members of the Bone Health Advocacy Network and all the supporters who urged their U.S. Representatives to cosponsor the “Mother’s Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act,” H.R. 2268. The U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the bill on Tuesday, June 10.  This important legislation would authorize the U.S. Mint to produce a commemorative coin in 2014 honoring the centennial of the Mother’s Day holiday. Proceeds from the sale of the coin would be shared by NOF and Susan G. Komen for the Cure to further their research grant programs.  NOF appreciates the leadership of Representatives Shelley Moore Capito (WV) and Carolyn Maloney (NY), who introduced the bill, as well as the 297 cosponsors.

We still need your help to increase the number of cosponsors of the Senate version of the “Mother’s Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act,” S. 2883, so that the Senate also will pass this legislation and send it to the President to sign into law. Since Congress will only meet for a few weeks in September before recessing for the election in November, it is imperative that you contact your Senators NOW.

We urge you to ask your Senators to cosponsor the “Mother’s Day Centennial Commemorative Coin Act” (S. 2883).  Please tell your family, friends and colleagues to join us. Visit the "Advocacy Action Center" at www.nof.org/advocacy to contact your Senators.   

Patient Access to Osteoporosis Testing

During the past year, NOF and its advocates urged Congress to remedy the drastic cuts in Medicare reimbursement for specialized osteoporosis tests vital to osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis and treatment.  As a result of these cuts, slated to continue through 2010, many physicians say that they will be unable to continue offering dual energy x-ray absorptiomety (DXA) tests for osteoporosis. This threatens access to quality healthcare for osteoporosis patients and those at risk for the disease. 

NOF worked to include a remedy in the Medicare legislative package to protect patient access to DXA testing for osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The final Medicare legislative package that was passed by both the U.S. House of Representatives on June 24, 2008 and the Senate on July 9, 2008 and became law on July 15, 2008 ultimately did not include a remedy for osteoporosis testing. 

NOF will continue to work with Congress to provide a remedy that protects patient access to osteoporosis testing.  We thank everyone in the Bone Health Advocacy Network who called their Senators in recent weeks and urged them to contact the Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (MT) and Ranking Member Charles Grassley (IA) to ask them to protect patient access to DXA testing in the Medicare legislative package. We will alert you in the future as to how you can continue to work with NOF to support this issue!

2009 Funding for the National Institutes of Health

One NOF’s highest advocacy priorities is securing funding for research for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH conducts federal research to find a cure for osteoporosis and improve the quality of life for those with the disease. This year, the President’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2009 proposes $29.2 billion for NIH, the same level of funding Congress allocated in fiscal year 2008. 

NOF believes that in order to find a cure and increase the treatment options for osteoporosis, Congress must provide sufficient funding to NIH, our nation’s premier biomedical research institution.  Without an increase in funding, the NIH budget would fail to keep up with biomedical research inflation and take advantage of new research opportunities.  NOF, along with many organizations, supports a 6.5 percent increase in funding for the NIH.  

The Senate Appropriations Committee recently approved a bill that includes funding for the National Institutes of Health at $30.3 billion, an increase of 3.5 percent over last year’s funding level.  The House Appropriations Committee is currently considering a bill that would increase NIH funding 3.9 percent over last year’s, approximately $125 million more than the Senate bill. 

As the Senate and House continue to work on the appropriations bills for fiscal year 2009, NOF is continuing to voice our support for increased funding for the NIH.  NOF will keep you apprised of the federal funding of NIH and how you can help in the future as Congress works on appropriations bills for fiscal year 2009.

Strong Voices for Strong Bones Advocacy Training Meeting Held in Arizona

On June 6, NOF and the Arizona Osteoporosis Coalition hosted a “Strong Voices for Strong Bones Advocacy Training Meeting” in Tempe, Arizona. Attendees learned about advocating for better bone health and osteoporosis prevention and treatment with local, state and federal government officials. Participants included healthcare professionals, including those working in the areas of exercise and nutrition, along with volunteers, educators, patients and their families.

Speakers included Sharon Hoelscher Day, president of the Arizona Osteoporosis Coalition; Susan Gerard, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services; Jeffrey Lisse, M.D., chief of rheumatology at the University of Arizona and medical director for the Osteoporosis Program at the Arizona Arthritis Center; Tim Lohman, Ph.D., professor in the University of Arizona Department of Physiology; and Kitty Woodward, a fitness specialist. To highlight current osteoporosis issues in Arizona, a panel of local experts discussed barriers to osteoporosis care and prevention and policies that seek to address these challenges. Speakers on the panel were Arizona State Representative Lucy Mason, Virginia Warren, chronic disease section manager at the Arizona Department of Health Services, Ms. Hoelscher Day and Barry Aarons, a public policy consultant with the Aarons Company, LLC and member of the Arizona Osteoporosis Coalition.

“Strong Voices for Strong Bones Advocacy Training Meetings” are one component of NOF’s grassroots program to advance public health policies that benefit those with or at risk for osteoporosis. Participants gain a more solid understanding of how they can advocate for bone health policies in their communities.

Read more about the Arizona meeting and view the picture slide show

NOF Holds Hill Briefing to Release New Resource on Osteoporosis

NOF partnered with the Alliance for Aging Research to release a new volume of “The Silver Book®: Chronic Disease and Medical Innovation in an Aging Nation.” The latest addition to The Silver Book series focuses on the most prevalent bone disease in the U.S.—osteoporosis. This volume was released at a Capitol Hill briefing in Washington, DC on July 31 which was widely attended by Congressional staffers and featured medical and economic experts including Joan M. Lappe, Ph.D., professor at Creighton University's Osteoporosis Research Center and member of the NOF Scientific Advisory Council; and an osteoporosis patient advocate, Judith Walker, former NOF board member. The new volume on osteoporosis and the other volumes may be accessed online at http://www.silverbook.org/.

Read more about the event

Meet Dana Kurland: Advocate for Bone Health

Dana Kurland was diagnosed with osteoporosis when she was in her early 30s and has been fighting back ever since. Her efforts to improve her bone density and to raise awareness in her community about bone health and osteoporosis make her an outstanding advocate for better bone health. Dana was empowered by her osteoporosis diagnosis to make a difference. Below is an excerpt from the article by Dana Kurland on our Web site.

"I was diagnosed with osteoporosis at a very young age. I knew what osteoporosis was, but why me and why now? It turns out that osteoporosis was hereditary in my family. If I had known about this, I might have been able to prevent bone loss earlier in life by taking steps to increase my bone density and help prevent or decrease the severity of the disease.

After fracturing both femurs I needed surgery. I had three metal pins placed in both legs so that if I ever fractured my leg again the pins would prevent the fracture from extending to the hip. The hip is the worst possible bone to fracture since the consequences can be disabling and even fatal. It was at this point that I realized that I needed to do whatever I could to build my bone density. I was able to stop the progression of this devastating disease and improve my bone health. I was young and determined to do it.

Through hard work, exercise and the proper medications, I was able to improve my bone density. I am now 46 years old and on the borderline of osteopenia and normal bone density."

Read the entire article

Join NOF in Taking Steps for Strong BonesTM

Walking is an easy way to add exercise to your daily routine and as a weight-bearing exercise, it helps keep your bones strong.  NOF launched the “Steps for Strong BonesTM” program to give you everything you need to get walking, keep walking and reach your goals!  When you join “Steps for Strong BonesTM ” you receive a personal Web page and tools so you can reach out to family and friends, encouraging them to walk with you and support you with a donation to NOF.  Whether you simply want to go for a daily walk in your neighborhood or are ready to participate in a marathon, there are plenty of ways you can build strong bones and support NOF. In addition, you can also start a team and invite friends and family to join you in taking steps for strong bones! To find an event near you or join as an “Independent Participant” to walk on your own, visit www.nof.org/steps.

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Spring 2006

In this issue:

• Advocate for Expansion of Awareness and Prevention Policies During May, National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
• Straight Talk About Calcium and Vitamin D
• Voice Your Views on Bone Health Research
• Update on National Action Plan on Bone Health and Osteoporosis
• NOF Board Member Testifying Before Congress
• NOF Convenes Strong Voices for Strong Bones Advocacy Training Meetings
• Medicare Part D Deadline Approaching

Advocate for Expansion of Awareness and Prevention Policies During May, National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month

May is National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month. Join the National Osteoporosis Foundation in spreading the word that “Osteoporosis…it matters.” Encourage your public policymakers to support programs that inform the public about osteoporosis prevention and treatment. Please let them know your views on the importance of these programs.

One easy way to make a difference is to contact your United States Representative and ask them to cosponsor the “Osteoporosis Education and Prevention Act” (HR 1081). This bill, introduced by Representative Shelley Berkley (D-NV) would provide federal demonstration program grants to public and private nonprofit agencies, organizations, and institutions to help increase awareness and knowledge of osteoporosis. Increasing the public’s access to osteoporosis educational materials will help individuals prevent the disease or help those who already have osteoporosis to manage their condition more effectively.

A section of this bill would amend the Older Americans Act, which is in the process of being reauthorized and rewritten. For this reason, communicating with your Member of Congress now on this legislation is particularly timely because your Member’s additional support through their cosponsorship will demonstrate greater interest for osteoporosis education.

Click Here to Join the Bone Health Advocate Program and Urge Your Representative to Cosponsor the Osteoporosis Education and Prevention Act.

For additional information on NOF activities this month, log on to http://www.nof.org/.

Straight Talk About Calcium and Vitamin D

Since the release of the Women’s Health Initiative findings related to calcium and vitamin D, there has been considerable confusion. NOF’s response to the study was to remind all women that an adequate daily intake of calcium and vitamin D is necessary throughout their lives 1000-1300 mg of calcium and the currently recommended intake for vitamin D is 400-800 IU, which they can get through their diet, supplements or a combination of both. NOF also continues to recommend “5 Steps to Bone Health.”

For additional information, visit http://www.nof.org/.

Voice Your Views on Bone Health Research

NOF appreciates the efforts of those Bone Health Advocates who contacted their Senators to support the Specter-Harkin-Kennedy Amendment. As you know, it passed and increased the Fiscal Year 2007 Senate Budget resolution by $7 billion to increase health and education funding.

The House of Representatives has yet to pass a comparable budget resolution so you still have time to let your US Representatives know that you would like increased funding for health programs. To advance federal public funding for research, it is important that your US Representative hear from you. As the House of Representatives continues to debate the federal budget and subsequently, both chambers will be voting on funding for research, NOF urges you to contact your Members of Congress to let them know that you value increased funding for federal research, including osteoporosis and bone research.

Click Here to Join the Bone Health Advocate Program and Urge Your Representatives to Support NIH Research Funding for Osteoporosis

Update on National Action Plan on Bone Health and Osteoporosis

One priority for the National Osteoporosis Foundation is to elevate osteoporosis and bone health on the national health agenda through the implementation of the US Surgeon General’s report on this issue by the creation of a national action plan. This would provide for additional planning and prioritization of programs, including osteoporosis research, education, prevention, treatment and access to care. NOF continues to work with Congress to achieve federal leadership on this issue. Several Members of Congress have assisted in advancing this issue through a policy directive. We will report to you any further progress.

NOF Board Member Testifying Before Congress

Once again, this year at the end of May, NOF will have a member of its Board of Trustees, Robert R. Recker, MD testify before the Department of Defense Appropriations subcommittee on osteoporosis and bone research. Dr. Recker will be representing the National Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases Coalition, of which NOF is a leader.

NOF is seeking to increase funding for the Bone Health and Military Medical Readiness Research Program. This program supports research to advance the understanding of methods to preserve bone health in military men and women. Currently, a significant research effort underway to protect and enhance bone health is targeting the elimination of training-related stress fractures. Such increased knowledge benefits the entire population.

NOF Convenes Strong Voices for Strong Bones Advocacy Training Meetings

NOF has held two one-day advocacy training meetings in New Jersey and Colorado. The meetings are part of NOF’s ongoing efforts to involve communities across the country to speak up for better bone health. Entitled “Strong Voices for Strong Bones,” the meeting’s agenda includes local experts who briefly discuss osteoporosis and the programs in place to educate those at risk for or with osteoporosis; interactive sessions on how to advocate for new and expanded programs; and information on resources, including those of the NOF, to assist with promoting policies that support beneficial programs. Participants leave each meeting with a personal plan of action.

To find out how you can become active in your community, contact NOF at 202- 223-2226 and we will be glad to assist you.

Medicare Part D Deadline Approaching

To enroll in the new Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D) without penalty, eligible individuals must sign up by May 15, 2006. This program may help you, even if you currently have a prescription drug plan. NOF has posted resources on its website to help individuals answer questions about Part D at http://www.nof.org/advocacy

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Summer 2005 

A Look Back and Towards the Future
 
With Summer already upon us, the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) takes this time to look back on 2004 and its accomplishments.  Our Summer newsletter includes a review of federal and state progress on osteoporosis bills from 2004 and current legislative trends for 2005.  But one of the most important achievements of NOF is its success in working with the Surgeon General’s office and Congress to issue our country’s first report from the office on bone health.
 
In October 2004 the US Surgeon General released a report on bone health and osteoporosis.  The report called on the public health community to work together to raise awareness on the issue.  Why is this important?  Because the Surgeon General’s reports are seen as a call to action, which spark strong public health campaigns and can increase public awareness.
 
Legislative News from 2004 and 2005
 
The past year was a busy year for Congress.  Each year it is difficult to introduce legislation that actually becomes law and 2004 was no different.  In fact only about six percent of the bills introduced actually become law.
  
The 109th session of Congress began in January and several important bills have already been introduced.
 
The first osteoporosis bill to be introduced this year was the "Osteoporosis Education and Prevention Act of 2005" (House Bill 1081) , sponsored by Rep. Berkley, D-NV, which would provide information and outreach for the prevention of osteoporosis through a national awareness campaign, to be carried out by the Department of Health and Human Services. Rep. Burgess, R-TX, has introduced the "Medicare Osteoporosis Measurement Act of 2005" (House Bill 2257), which would expand Medicare coverage of bone mass measurements to all individuals at clinical risk for osteoporosis.

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