Lymphedema Treatment Act
Floor Speech
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Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the committee for yielding.
I am just so happy that we see the Lymphedema Treatment Act on the floor today.
I thank my colleague on the Republican side, Buddy Carter, for being a cosponsor of the legislation and helping to put it forward with so many bipartisan sponsors of the legislation, over 350--what is it, 366?--cosponsors of the bill.
I look forward to passing it in the House today. There are enough Senators on the other side of the rotunda here that also have sponsored, so I look forward to it becoming the law of the land.
I thank all the advocates who worked so hard, including Heather Ferguson, who is the executive director of the Lymphedema Advocacy Group, and all the people whom she worked with to help make this pass. Heather is the mother of a son that has lymphedema. I thank all the constituents who worked so hard to make this happen.
Here is what it is about lymphedema. It is not only painful and debilitating; it is also incurable. But we are lucky that there actually is a remedy, a treatment for lymphedema.
Many of you may be familiar with it. You may not have known the name. Two-thirds of all lymphedema cases develop after cancer treatment. You see that swelling. But what we don't have is the kind of treatment that is actually needed.
Currently, Medicare does not cover these important compression garments, which is what can really help people so very much. My bill will actually finally expand access to these garments for lymphedema patients on Medicare.
This will absolutely help the 3 million Americans who have lymphedema to be able to have some of the relief that they need at a cost that they can afford. It will also reduce Medicare costs because instead of these people developing all kinds of other health issues, they will be able to be treated with these compression garments.
Again, I thank Chairman Pallone, Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Representative Buddy Carter, and all the Members on both sides of the aisle. Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to endorse this wonderful bill and vote ``yes.''
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