For the past 10 weeks Jerry and I have been involved in an in-home DVD study entitled “The Engagement Project” which focused on teaching the best ways to meet, engage with, and love our neighbors. There were many scriptures included to challenge and encourage us to minister to those around us.
A key point to remember is “neighbor” isn’t just the person next door or across the street. Neighbor is anyone in your community. Our community of Anthem has blessed us with many wonderful friends and neighbors. Dick and Kathy Feola are two of them. They need help and support from all of us, please!!!
The following paragraphs were emailed to me several days ago, and Dick has given his blessing to share this message with you:
“My wife, Kathy Feola, was diagnosed with ALS, (Lou Gehrig Disease) last year. Currently there is no cure for this deadly disease. There are two medications approved that only help slow the progress of the disease. There are, however, many new drugs that are currently being tested or have completed testing waiting for FDA approval. ALS patients are frustrated for lack of options to combat this horrible disease. The FDA approval process can take months or even years to be approved. ALS patients do not have time to wait for this current process.
I am requesting your help by asking you to follow the link below and add your name to the petition requesting ALS patients, including Kathy, have immediate full coverage and affordable access to new therapies.
Ban Discrimination Against People Living with ALS, please!
People living with ALS urgently need effective new treatments. The Institute for Clinical and Economic (ICER) is reviewing Amylyx Pharmaceutical’s AMX0035 and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America’s (MTPA) oral edaravone, prior to FDA approval, and will make “value assessments” on these new therapies. Their recommendations will impact decisions on cost and access to these drugs by private insurance and Medicaid at the state level and the Veteran’s Administration at the federal level. ICER value assessments could be used by Medicare in the future.
ICER uses Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY) and Equal Value of Life Years Gained (evLYG) methodology in its analysis. The National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency, has asked Congress to ban the use of Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY) in Medicare and Medicaid because these methods discriminated against people with disabilities. We agree with NCD and oppose all discrimination against people living with ALS.
Add your name to the petition below to join the fight to ensure people living with ALS have immediate, full coverage and affordable access to new therapies.”
https://als.quorum.us/campaign/38744/
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