Lee Woodruff, Jordan Thomas, and Patient Advocates to Brief Congress on 'Protecting the Future of Medicare Rehabilitation'

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) and the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA) will highlight the value of medical rehabilitation during a Congressional Briefing featuring individuals whose lives have been profoundly impacted by the benefits of rehabilitation care. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD), Lee Woodruff, co-founder of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, and Jordan Thomas, founder of the Jordan Thomas Foundation and CNN "Hero," will share their personal stories of how hospital-based rehabilitation has impacted their lives. Medical rehabilitation is designed to maximize patient health, function, and independence after a serious injury, disability, or chronic condition.

The Congressional Briefing, "Protecting the Future of Medicare Rehabilitation," will be held today, Tuesday, November 1, from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm in Room B-340 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The briefing comes amidst proposals to make unwarranted cuts to Medicare rehabilitation services that would drastically restrict access to inpatient rehabilitation for those with disabilities and chronic conditions.

Lee Woodruff and the Woodruff family founded the Bob Woodruff Foundation after her husband, journalist Bob Woodruff, suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) while covering the war in Iraq when the convoy he was traveling in was hit with an improvised explosive device (IED).

"There is hope for patients with TBI, disability, and other serious conditions," said Ms. Woodruff. "They can improve, if given the opportunity to do so through a supportive environment and physical and cognitive therapy. Inpatient rehabilitation is an essential piece of a patient's recovery from a traumatic injury. Ongoing and sustained rehabilitation was critical to my husband's recovery and to the recovery of many men and women in need of rehabilitation care each day, including our Medicare elderly and disabled."

Unfortunately, recent Medicare savings proposals would have a dramatic negative impact on individuals attempting to recover from TBI, stroke, and other difficult conditions.  The President's recent deficit reduction proposal, "Living Within Our Means and Investing in the Future," would unfairly and disproportionately make cuts to IRH/Us. These proposals, which have been provided to the debt reduction "Super Committee," would restrict patient access to inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and units (IRH/Us) to produce short-term savings.

"Medical rehabilitation is a critical component of treatment for those with disabilities and chronic conditions," said Dr. Bruce Gans, Chairman of the AMRPA Board of Directors and Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. "Despite its importance to patients and cost-savings to the health care system, medical rehabilitation has been subject to substantial cuts in recent years. Additional cuts to IRH/Us will further jeopardize access to care for Medicare beneficiaries (and all other patients) and individuals with disabilities. These vulnerable populations should not be expected to shoulder the burden of reducing the deficit."

The Briefing will also feature cutting-edge products used to provide quality care to those with spinal cord injuries, amputations, and other disabilities. Representatives from Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, Einstein Healthcare Network's MossRehab, National Rehabilitation Hospital, Tibion Bionic Technologies, and iWalk will be on hand before and after the Briefing to demonstrate products used to improve function and independence among those with disabilities, injuries, and chronic conditions.  

As part of the Capitol Hill Briefing, several leading medical rehabilitation hospitals and companies will showcase innovative technologies being utilized in medical rehabilitation today. Featured technologies include Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital's ICARE, the Einstein Healthcare Network MossRehab's ReWalk, the Power Foot BiOM by iWalk, National Rehabilitation Hospital's HandSOME and ZeroG, and the Tibion Bionic Leg.

Sponsors of the Congressional Briefing include the AMRPA, and over 20 patient organizations in the Coalition for Preserve Rehabilitation.

Contact:

Martie Kendrick
202-457-6520

Eric Rasmussen
202-457-6055

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).  For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association