July 29, 2010

AARC’s Virtual Lobby Day Is Next Wednesday!
As we noted last week in News Now, the AARC is coordinating a Virtual Lobby Day next Wednesday, Aug. 4. On that one day we hope RTs, friends, family, and pulmonary patients will take the time to contact their members of Congress urging their support for the Medicare Respiratory Therapy Initiative legislation, HR 1077 and S 343.

As you know, AARC and your state societies sponsor your Political Advocacy Contact Team (PACT) representatives to come to Washington, DC, every year to have face-to-face meetings with the Congressional delegations from your state. But we want to keep the momentum going. We want a one-day, “Hear Our Voices on the Hill,” where next Wednesday Aug. 4 Congressional offices will be flooded with emails, phone calls, or even meetings back home in your member’s district, to bring home the point that we need Congress to support and pass HR 1077/S 343.

We’ve created a special Virtual Lobby Day webpage with all the details on how to email, phone, or meet. We hope you will participate and let your voices be heard for the profession of respiratory therapy and the patients you serve.

DRIVE4COPD Podcast Coming Up Next Week
Speaking of DRIVE4COPD, we will also have a podcast next week, based on President Myers’ recent interview with DRIVE4COPD Nascar Race Ambassador Danica Patrick. You won’t want to miss Danica’s touching story about her grandmother’s struggle with COPD and how it spurred Danica’s involvement in the national DRIVE4COPD campaign. Look for the DRIVE4COPD podcast button on the AARC web site at http://www.aarc.org next week.

Deceptive Marketing Still an Issue
The AARC is continuing to alert our members about an inaccurate product promotion from a Texas company. The company is erroneously stating that the AARC supports their product and that The Joint Commission is mandating its use.

Good Press: AARC Members in the News
In our latest list of newsmakers, you can read all about colleagues who’ve been interviewed about smoking cessation, air quality, COPD, sleep, and more.

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