YOUR STORY will help to make a difference!!... Must be received by January 8th!!!

From: Helen Dynda (olddad66@runestone.net)
Tue Jan 1 23:08:04 2002


The U.S. Government - more specifically Medicare and Medicaid (government health insurance programs) - wants to hear from Adhesion Sufferers - that's YOU and ME from the United States!! TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE - if as many of us Adhesion Sufferers as possible send our letters petitioning the U.S. Government to establish an ICD-9-CM code to help them collect data on the significant surgical procedure known as "APPLICATION OF AN ADHESION BARRIER for PREVENTION of ADHESIONS". The government needs to know IF surgeons are using adhesion barriers; and IF the use of adhesion barriers can be successful in preventing adhesions.

Currently, there is no code for this purpose!! With the establishment of an ICD-9-CM code - meant specifically for "the application of an adhesion barrier" - I suspect that Medicare and Medicaid will decide to increase the monetary reimbursement (in other words pay "more" money) to surgeons, who use adhesion barriers at the conclusion of surgical procedures. With the addition of this "new code," Medicare and Medicaid will then be able to record how often adhesion barriers are actually used. They will also be able to track how effective the use of adhesion barriers are in preventing adhesions.

I also suspect that one of the reasons that Medicare and Medicaid are considering a new surgical code for adhesions is that they are trying to find a way to reduce the number of repeated surgeries -and thus save the government money. You may not be benefiting from either Medicare or Medicaid at this time; but it is inevitable that some day you will!!

NOW is the perfect time to start preparing for a future that may one day provide the answer and an end to the enormous pain that so many of you endure - day by day, month to month - year to year!! I hope I have convinced you that IN NUMBERS - and there certainly are alot of us, who suffer from adhesions - TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!! NOW is the time to respond to this petition; and the best way to do this is to let your voice be heard through your very personal and painful adhesion stories. If you have already entered your story on the ADHESIONS QUILT, your Adhesion Quilt story will make an impression on those, who read the petitions.

An ICD-9-CM code number will provide the government with alot of revealing information about adhesions; and perhaps could even open the door to getting adhesions recognized as a disease some day in the future. This IS a great opportunity for us to let the government know that there actually are alot of people who are suffering from surgical adhesions. We need to tell them exactly how adhesions have affected our lives - and how adhesions continue to affect not only our lives but also the lives of those we hold most dear!!

I do not profess to be an expert on adhesions or anything to do with the government; but I DO SENSE -- as a result of Dr. Wiseman's tireless efforts in organizing the the International Adhesions Society, Bev's trip to Washington, D.C. to talk to government dignitaries from her state, and this opportunity to petition for an ICD-9-CM code for the use of adhesion barriers to help prevent adhesions after surgical procedures -- THAT ALL OF THESE EFFORTS COULD BE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION and eventually could bring adhesions "out of the closet" and into the light!! Who knows? As the result of petitioning for this special surgical ICD-9-CM code for adhesions, perhaps one day this could lead to a national education program - specifically about adhesions. I can dream, can't I? Don't you think this is possible?

PLEASE DO YOUR PART BY WRITING "YOUR STORY"; and CALL ATTENTION TO THE SERIOUS PROBLEMS YOU HAVE BEEN FORCED TO ENDURE BECAUSE OF THE SEVERE PAIN OF ADHESIONS!!

With the participation of EACH ONE of you adhesion sufferers, I really believe that we will be able to "open the eyes" of the government so that the government will also realize that there is a serious need to increase funding for research into developing an adhesion barrier that is reliably successful in the prevention of adhesions. Today is January 2nd of the year, 2002 - and yet, medical science has not figured out a way to prevent adhesions. Increased funding for research could be the key!! The government has set up a dedicated email address just for this project. If you have story to tell that highlights the need for more understanding about the use of adhesion barriers ..... PLEASE:

* Email your comments to: IPPSNEWTECH@CMS.HHS.GOV

* Please send a copy to the IAS at: david.wiseman@adhesions.org

* Place "Adhesion Barrier Comments" in the subject line.

* Send your comments by January 8, 2002


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