The Upper Midwest Chapter's 2013 priority issues
At the Upper Midwest Chapter, we relentlessly advocate for policies and research essential to people living with MS:
- We prioritize policy issues by listening to clients and volunteers.
- We recruit and support advocates to tell their stories.
- We work with policymakers to secure resources and create
Below are the issues we'll be monitoring during the 2013 legislative session. If you're interested in sharing your story about how any of these issues affect you or your family, please contact Jenna at 612-335-7981 or jenna.washnieski@nmss.org.
On behalf of nearly 18,000 people living with MS in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and portions of Wisconsin and Nebraska, the Upper Midwest Chapter advocates for these priorities:
- Support MS research: We advocate for scientific and medical research that could stop the progression of MS, restore function and end MS forever. We support efforts to expand such research and oppose efforts that would hinder the ability to free the world from MS.
- Protect programs for people living with MS: We work to limit and reverse the impact of state budget cuts on people living with MS and advocate for appropriations for human services, education, housing, public transportation and other programs that benefit people with MS and other disabilities and chronic disease.
- Advocate for accessible, affordable and quality health care: We support initiatives that expand coverage, improve quality, increase access to care and provide greater affordability for people living with MS. We monitor and engage in developing health reform proposals, seek to improve public and private health care programs, and oppose legislation that negatively impacts the health of people living with MS.
- Reduce roadblocks to MS care : Because people living with MS benefit from evidence-based therapies, especially disease-modifying drugs prescribed to reduce disease activity, we support equitable and adequate coverage of medically-necessary MS treatments, capping and reducing out-of-pocket cost of MS care, elimination of specialty tiering, expansion of Rx assistance programs and further study of the implication between cost and lack of access to these treatments.
We advocate for these commitments and champion the rights of people with MS and other disabilities by engaging people in the MS movement and joining forces with legislators, like-minded organizations and coalitions in a relentless pursuit of a world free of MS.