Senator Bingaman to Introduce “In the Home” Bill
Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) is planning to introduce legislation to eliminate Medicare’s “in the home” restriction on mobility devices such as wheelchairs and scooters. Currently, Medicare will cover devices needed for use inside the beneficiary’s home, but will not pay for devices a beneficiary may need to move beyond their front door and access the community. To fix this discriminatory restriction, Senator Bingaman has drafted a bill that would require Medicare to cover the cost of wheelchairs or scooters that beneficiaries with long-term mobility impairments need to be able to participate in “domestic,” “vocational,” or “community” activities.
Passage of this legislation is one United Spinal’s top priorities. We are working with Senator Bingaman and other disability organizations to find original co-sponsors for the bill, including a lead Republican sponsor.
State Stem Cell News
California: After more than a year of legal challenges, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine announced on April 16, it will award $12.1 million to 16 non-profit institutions for adult and embryonic stem cell research. The Institute was able to fund the grants after six philanthropic organizations loaned the Institute a combined $14 million. The Institute was forced to borrow money in this manner because it has been prevented from using any of the $3 billion in bond revenue authorized through Proposition 71, the initiative California voters approved on Election Day 2004.
Later in the month, a California state judge ruled that two lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the program have no merit. Due to expected appeals, however, the Institute’s finances will likely remain in limbo through 2007. The anticipated legal appeals will most likely continue to prevent the Institute from using any of the $3 billion authorized through Proposition 71. Lawyers opposed to the initiative unsuccessfully argued that it violates the state Constitution by giving taxpayer money to an organization not sufficiently controlled by the state government.
Illinois: On April 24, Governor Rod Blagojevich and Comptroller Dan Hynes announced that the state will award a total of $10 million for adult and embryonic stem cell research at several Illinois hospitals and research institutions. Last July, the Governor issued an Executive Order creating the Illinois Regenerative Medicine Institute and ordered the program to award $10 million in grants for stem cell research.
Wisconsin: On April 25, Governor Jim Doyle signed an Executive Order directing the Department of Commerce to spend at least $5 million to recruit new stem cell companies to Wisconsin. The initiative’s goal is to capture 10% of the stem cell market by the year 2015.
