In essence, it is literally taking an Act of Congress to get Medicare to have an authorization code for coverage of compression garments, a much-needed treatment for patients that have Lymphedema. 

Lymphedema is a disease that exhibits increased swelling of the limbs caused by damage to the lymphatic system via their lymph nodes damage.  In simplistic terms, the lymph nodes act as the central "train station" to the lymphatic system (a system of vessels just beneath your skin); when the "train station" (or lymph nodes) are damaged there is no direction provided to the lymphatic system.  It then becomes clogged up, if you will, and backs up the system and causes the swelling to occur; thus, causing the affected areas to swell.  Most commonly these are the limbs, but can also occur in the head (as in the case of astronauts), in the groin areas, and other areas.  

Lymphedema can be something that occurs because of genes and be congenital at birth, but also can be caused by chemotherapy (ie in breast cancer patients) and/or through trauma scenarios (such as in a car accident or sports injuries).  In my case it was a car accident in 2004 where my knees hit the steering wheel - and, my legs have been swollen ever since then (on March 4, 2019, it will be the anniversary of having lymphedema diagnosed 15 years ago from the accident that occurred on/about February 2, 2004).  

What the average person doesn't realize is that Lymphedema (like cancer) isn't curable and there is ongoing research in several University centered research facilities (Stanford University is well known for their research and there is another in Temple, Texas, the A&M's College of Medicine that has been actively pursuing the research, as well as many, many others who are seeking for a cure in the United States and around the world.   The LE&RN (Lymphatic Education & Research Network, https://lymphaticnetwork.org/ can attest to how pervasive this disease is and how hard that they have been working to keep the funding to be available for the ongoing research, along with many, many other non-profit organizations.

Also, what the average person doesn't realize is that the treatment that has been the norm of treatment for Lymphedema is a combined effort of wearing compression garments/wraps and being pumped via a pneumatic pump.  It is the combined effort that aids the Lymphedema patient (LE patient) to maintain and/or help reduce the swelling in the limbs so that they can lead normalized lives instead of looking like some sort of monster with one or both limbs swollen like the famed "Michelin Man" in the Michelin commercials - and the rest of their bodies being very normal.  

It is not fair that most every other insurance company covers for both means of LE treatment (which work in tandem with one another), but Medicare does not.  It is believed that it was originally intended that Medicare was going to provide for coverage of these tandem treatments but the authorization code was left out, which brings us full circle in the Lymphedema Treatment Act to request that this authorization code be included so that all the LE patients can justly receive the tandem treatments that they so deserve; it is tough to manage the care (while more research is being done in the background for the cure of LE) with only the pneumatic pump.

World Lymphedema Day occurs each and every year for the advancement of increased awareness of the disease on March 6th, it would be wonderful if, by World Lymphedema Day of 2019 (https://lymphaticnetwork.org/wld/ this Lymphedema Treatment Act is finally passed!

The Lymphedema Treatment Act has been receiving a number of Sponsors and Co-Sponsors throughout the years we have tried to right the wrong in getting this authorization code back into the system.  In 2018, we were oh so close to having this Act passed.  In the House, these are the co-sponsors that have been supporting the Lymphedema Treatment Act -- https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/930/cosponsors   In the Senate, these are the co-sponsors that have been supportive of the Lymphedema Treatment Act -- https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/497/cosponsors

We kindly ask of all the Representatives and Senators who have committed to be sponsors to consider their continued support in the passage of the Lymphedema Treatment Act.  If you are a Representative or Senator that hasn't committed to be co-sponsors of the Lymphedema Treatment Act, you express that commitment today without delay or hesitation.

We, too, kindly ask that each and every person signing this petition also sends this petition to their own US Representative and US Senator for reconsideration and/or consideration of co-sponsoring this Act for final passage so that all Medicare patients can also receive the Lymphedema treatment that they so justly deserve.  There are too many Medicare patients that are dying from lack of continuum and due diligence of care of their Lymphedema.  This can be simply changed and averted by the passage of the Lymphedema Treatment Act so that the authorization code is properly placed and the tandem care can be given by all physicians, treatment facilities, and/or hospitals.

Each person is also requested, and encouraged, to go to the Lymphedema Treatment Act website and share their stories.  If you are a Representative and/or Senator reading this, you are also urged to go to the site and read the hundreds of stories that have been collected.  ---  http://lymphedematreatmentact.org

Lymphedema Treatment Act -- http://lymphedematreatmentact.org

World Lymphedema Day -- https://lymphaticnetwork.org/wld/

LE&RN -- https://lymphaticnetwork.org/

National Lymphedema Network -- https://lymphnet.org/

Lymphedema In the News -- http://facebook.com/LymphedemaInTheNews