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Georgia Chapter E-Newsletter- August 2012

McCarthy Building Companies Inc. 
as Presenting Sponsor for
MuckRuckus MS

“McCarthy is proud to be the presenting sponsor,” said Kevin W. Kuntz, president, McCarthy Building Companies Inc., Southeast Division. “Our employees are as passionate about building better communities as we are about construction. Ours is a personal approach. We give of our time and talent for one simple reason. It’s the right thing to do. It’s about creating personal relationships to improve lives. By partnering with the National MS Society, we hope to ensure human and financial resources are mobilized to address the daily challenges of living with MS. We also hope to inspire other businesses to form meaningful partnerships with the National MS Society.” Click here to read more about McCarthy's involvement.

Affordable Care Act and MS

Last month the United States Supreme Court ruled on the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act. Though there has been much heated debate over this legislation, we wanted to take a moment and share how the Affordable Care Act impacts people living with MS.

Background Facts:

• Over 70% of those with health insurance still struggle with the cost of healthcare
• The average cost of living with MS is $69,000 per year and more than half of the amount consists of direct health care costs
• The average lifetime cost of living with MS is $2 million
• Over 30% of those living with MS put off seeking health care because of the costs
• Over 20% of those living with MS could not fill their prescriptions and/or have skipped doses because they did not have access

With guidance of people living with MS, the Society adopted a set of National Health Care Reform Principles several years ago and, as an organization, our approach is to support legislation that is in line with those principles.  As a result, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society supports the decision of the United States Supreme Court regarding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. 

This ruling will have a significant, positive impact on many, including the millions of Americans affected by multiple sclerosis.

Below are some of the provisions of the law that the National MS Society believes will have the biggest impact on people with MS and their families:

• Prohibition of coverage denials based on pre-existing conditions:  Too many people living with MS had been routinely denied insurance after receiving their diagnosis, preventing them from getting the care they need.
• Prohibition of lifetime limits:  Routine, often costly care is needed to manage MS. This may cause those living with severe forms of the disease to reach their lifetime limit early in life. Elimination of that limit was critically important for continued care.
• Elimination of annual limits:  Similar to “lifetime limits,” many patients reach their annual limit of coverage because of the cost of care for MS. These arbitrary limits should not prevent those in need from receiving care. 
• Extension of parent’s insurance to 26:  Many people with MS are diagnosed in their 20s and may still be in school or lacking a full time job to help pay for their care. This provision ensures that they can continue coverage under their parent’s policy.
• Closing the Medicare Part D Coverage Gap:  Disease Modifying Therapies for someone with MS can cost as much as $4,000 per month, which is out of reach for the average American; therefore, gradually closing the coverage gap has provided financial relief for those who depend on Medicare for prescription coverage.
• Pathway for Biosimilars:  The law provides a pathway for biosimilars which provides some hope of lower cost therapies in the future.  The FDA had recently indicated it would not have pursued this pathway without the legislative mandate therefore, it will continue to be developed--which is good news for anyone who uses biologic therapies.

For assistance with specific health insurance questions, people with MS, their families or healthcare providers may speak with an MS Navigator by calling 1-800-344-4867 (FIGHT MS).  You can find additional information here.  

Walk MS Top 100 Club

We are proud to announce the members of the 2013 Walk MS Top 100 Club! The Top 100 Club raised over $266,000 this year!

The Top 100 Club is an exclusive club available to fundraisers who achieve the highest fundraising pledges among all participants of Walk MS: Georgia each year. There is no fixed dollar amount that guarantees club membership. Ranking of the 2013 Walk MS Top 100 Club are based on participants' 2012 fundraising efforts.

To view the full list of the 2013 Top 100 Club members, click here.

Bike MS: Deloitte Atlanta to Athens Ride Top 25 Club

We are proud to announce the members of the 2013 Bike MS: Deloitte Atlanta to Athens Ride Top 25 Club! The Top 25 Club raised nearly $40,000 (42% of the total amount raised this year)!

The Top 25 Club is an exclusive club available to fundraisers who achieve the highest fundraising pledges among all participants of the Bike MS: Deloitte. Atlanta to Athens Ride. Ranking for the 2013 Top 25 Club are based on participants’ 2012 fundraising. Congratulations to the Top 25 Members!

 Click here for the full list of the 2013 Top 25 Club.

Our Mission:
"The mission of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is to mobilize people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of everyone affected by MS." 

Find us online:                             

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375 Current number of MS research projects funded by the National MS Society

Bike MS: Deloitte Atlanta to Athens
Top 25 Club Announcement

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Research Updates 

Advocacy
 

The Impact of One MS Activist: Donna Parisi Takes Action in New Jersey