What You Can Do

YOU can make a difference in public policy, policies that impact the healthcare you and your loved one get and protect you against discrimination in the workplace.  We can accomplish a lot. Remember, there is power in numbers; 1 out of every 5 Americans is a family caregiver.

For example:

• Do you recall the outcry over insurance company rules that were sending mothers home from the hospital in less than 24 hours of giving birth? Did you know that it was the public outcry of lots of moms and dads and others who care about women's health, making phone calls and writing letters that brought about the reversal in policy?
• Are you aware that the reason there is a National Family Medical Leave Act is because of the tireless work of activists across the country?
• Did you know it is possible to pass state legislation to actually pay for family medical leave?  YES, it happened in 2006 in California because individuals like you thought it sufficiently important that they picked up the phone and told their elected officials they needed this help.

When individuals work together, efforts achieve far more than the sum of their parts.

CHANGING PUBIC POLICIES INCLUDING MEDICARE AND MEDICAID

You can read actual family caregiving legislation that is before Congress, here http://thomas.loc.gov 

To read a description of the key caregiver elements of many bills click here.

If you are interested in contacting your Senators or Representative, but don't know how to reach them,
you can easily find the contact information here at http://www.house.gov/ or http://www.senate.gov/.