Press Releases
Congressman Pascrell, Congresswoman Giffords' Staff, Brain Injury Association Of America Join Together On Affordable Care Act Provisions For People With Traumatic Brain Injury
Washington, DC,
April 7, 2011
Tags:
Traumatic Brain Injury
Legislative staff for U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ-8) joined with U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-8), Dr. Brent Masel, national medical director of the Brain Injury Association of America, and Dr. Keith D. Cicerone, director of Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation Psychology at JFK Medical Center, Edison, N.J. began their efforts today to rally the Obama Administration to address a “treatment gap” among individual who sustain a traumatic brain injury. At news conference today, the group called upon Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to correct this disparity in access to treatment through the Affordable Care Act to ensure all Americans with traumatic brain injury will have access to quality, affordable care. “I’m proud to join with Congresswoman Giffords’ office in reaching out to Secretary Sebelius, because we both want all brain injury patients to have a fair chance—a fair chance at recovery, at returning to work, and in being able to live independently again. And with the implementation of health care reform, this is possible,” said Pascrell, co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force. “Just as physical therapy is crucial for physical injuries, cognitive therapy is essential for patients with a brain injury. The question we ask today is, shouldn’t all Americans suffering from a brain injury be able to access rehabilitation in order to re-learn their skills and improve their cognitive functions?” “Since the Congresswoman sustained her traumatic brain injury, 3 months ago, our office has become intimately familiar with TBI care and the benefits of cognitive rehabilitation. We are grateful for the quality medical care that Congresswoman Giffords is receiving at TIRR Memorial Hospital in Houston to restore her physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning,” said Alfred. “Because the Congresswoman was injured while she was on the job, her rehabilitation is covered by workers' compensation under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act. That is what has afforded her access to the full continuum of medical treatment she is receiving at TIRR. Medical coverage varies from employer to employer, insurance plan to insurance plan.” “Since anyone can sustain a brain injury at any time, it is important for everyone to have access to comprehensive rehabilitation and ongoing disease management,” said Dr. Masel. “Doing so eases medical complications, permanent disability, family dysfunction, job loss, homelessness, impoverishment, medical indigence, suicide and involvement with the criminal or juvenile justice system. Access to early, comprehensive treatment for brain injury also alleviates the burden of long term care that is transferred to tax payers at the federal, state and local levels.” “Impairments of cognitive function are the hallmark sign of a TBI, and a major cause of long term disability. It is imperative that people who have sustained a TBI have access to specialized, high-quality services designed for the treatment of cognitive deficits,” said Dr. Cicerone. “There is now considerable evidence that supports that effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation for improving function and quality of life after TBI.” ### |