LSRC Gets Home Town Time with Senator

April 9, 2013

Senator Vitter (left) met with Kallstrom, Pisani, and McIntyre in a continuation of their discussions on the Medicare Respiratory Therapist Access Act.

Keeping your eyes open and ears to the ground is the way to make things happen. Taking advantage of one of those opportunities is what got Louisiana members and the AARC Executive Director in to see a Senator last week.

Louisiana AARC member Melissa Smith heard on the nightly news that Senator David Vitter (R-LA) was going to be hosting a town hall meeting—just about the time the LSRC was having its annual meeting in Baton Rouge. She passed that word along to Louisiana PACT rep Doug McIntyre, who promptly gathered up LSRC President Raymond Pisani and AARC CEO Tom Kallstrom, put them in a car, and took them for a ride to the Town of Plaquemine for a meeting with the Senator.

As a result, the AARC reps got to meet with Vitter one-on-one.

McIntyre and Tommy Lotz had previously visited with Vitter during the PACT Lobby Day in early March, so this proved to be a good continuation of that conversation. Vitter remembered the earlier meeting where McIntyre had introduced the topic of the Medicare Respiratory Therapist Access Act.

“It was very impressive that we were able to get the LSRC team together to make a personal plea with Senator Vitter regarding our Medicare Part B Act.” said Kallstrom, “He seemed genuinely interested and we have already made an appointment to meet with his aide.”

McIntyre was pleased with the outcome of the impromptu meeting. “He told us he will discuss the Act with his staff to see if he can help support it.” Louisiana members of Congress have had a history of supporting AARC legislative language through co-sponsorship of our bills.

LSRC President Ray Pisani has already heard back from Vitter’s staff. “They asked that we keep them in the loop of any further developments on this issue.”