Litigation

Brain Injury Federal Update

By Michael Kaplen

Here is the latest federal brain injury legislative update compiled by the Brain Injury Association of America(BIAA):

Appropriations Update

This week House Republicans previewed a spending measure that would cut $74 billion in non-security spending from President Obama?s 2011 budget request. In addition, appropriators are trying to find billions more in spending cuts, as leaders work to put together a bill that will meet conservative demands.

Programmatic funding information is not yet available, but BIAA will analyze the data when it is released next week. Currently, the summary information available does not point to any cuts for TBI programs and in order to avoild calling attention to the line item, we ask that grassroots take action next week only if it becomes necessary. BIAA will alert grassroots advocates if mobilization is needed. 

Cognitive Rehabilitation Update

On Monday, February 7, 2011, BIAA participated in a day-long public workshop involving the Institutes of Medicine (IOM) Committee on Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury. The meeting included several speakers including the charge to the Committee by TRICARE Management Activities.

BIAA is optimistic that IOM will reinforce in this new study that cognitive rehabilitation is an effective and medically necessary intervention for service members with traumatic brain injury and therefore should be a covered benefit under the TRICARE program.

Full post as published by Brain Injury News and Information on February 12, 2011 (boomark / email).