Sending Office: Blumenauer, Earl
Sent By:
Martha.Cramer@mail.house.gov
Current Cosponsors: Reed*, Abraham, Armstrong, Axne, Barragán, Boyle, C. Maloney, Clarke, Clay, Cline, Cohen, Cole, Cox, DeFazio, Dingell, Escobar, Gabbard, Gallagher, García (IL), Garcia (TX), Gianforte, Grijalva, Hagedorn, Hastings, Hayes, Higgins,
Himes, Hurd, Jackson Lee, Joyce, Kelly (IL), Kennedy, Kilmer, King, King, Kirkpatrick, Kuster, LaHood, Lawson, Levin, Luetkeymeyer, Lujan, Luria, Malinowski, Massie, McGovern, McMorris Rodgers, McKinley, Meeks, Meng, Moore, Moulton, Mucarsel-Powell, Norton,
Pappas, Payne, Peterson, Pingree, Price, Radewagen, Rice, Rouda, Sablan, Schiff, Sewell, Simpson, Smith, Soto, Thompson (MS), Tlaib, Trahan, Van Drew, Wasserman Schultz, Wild, Yarmuth, Young
Dear Colleague:
We are writing to urge you to cosponsor H.R. 808, the Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act, which would allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe diabetic shoes for Medicare patients.
According to the American Diabetes Association, 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year, and it is a condition that affects approximately 9 percent of the population. Diabetes costs the U.S. economy roughly $327 billion annually—more
than any other disease. People with diabetes have health care costs 2.3 times greater than those without diabetes. In addition, 1 in 4 healthcare dollars and 1 in 3 Medicare dollars are spent treating diabetes and its complications, which can include kidney
disease, blindness, and amputations. Diabetes is also a major cause of heart disease and stroke.
Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics are faced with a high lifetime risk of developing foot ulcers. Specialized insoles and footwear are required to prevent further breakdown and injury, and to ensure that recurring ulcers do not develop. If these ulcers are
allowed to recur multiple times, patients can lose toes or feet entirely.
Currently, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, who often act as primary care providers for many patients with diabetes, are required to refer diabetic Medicare patients who need therapeutic shoes to a physician for further certification. Under
current law, the certifying physician must then become the provider treating the patient’s diabetic condition going forward. In addition to accruing unnecessary fees, this process can be disruptive for a patient under the care of a nurse practitioner or physician
assistant and delays patients from getting efficient and time-sensitive care. Timely access to diabetic shoes is crucial, and is well within the scope of treatment that nurse practitioners and physician assistants are able to provide.
Please join us in cosponsoring the Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act. If you have questions or would like to cosponsor the bill, please contact Martha Cramer with Rep. Earl Blumenauer at Martha.Cramer@mail.house.gov or
Logan Hoover with Rep. Tom Reed at Logan.Hoover@mail.house.gov.
Sincerely,
Earl Blumenauer Tom Reed
Member of Congress Member of Congress
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