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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Many Americans living with speech and communication |
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disabilities rely on speech-generating devices to transmit |
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messages to loved ones and care providers; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2015, the U.S. Congress increased the |
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accessibility of speech-generating devices by passing the Steve |
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Gleason Act, which created a temporary exception to a rental cap |
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placed on durable medical equipment by the Medicare program; before |
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this legislation was enacted, beneficiaries of SGDs were required |
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to rent such devices for a 13-month period before ownership, and |
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Medicare funding ceased if a patient took up residence at a nursing |
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home, hospice, or hospital during that time; and |
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WHEREAS, Under the Steve Gleason Enduring Voices Act of 2017, |
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Title XVIII of the Social Security Act would be amended to make |
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permanent the removal of the SGD rental cap; the three-year |
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exception is currently scheduled to expire in October 2018, which |
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would severely limit those suffering from such neurodegenerative |
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diseases as ALS, Parkinson's, and multiple sclerosis from |
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maintaining long-term use of technology that affords them the |
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ability to communicate; and |
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WHEREAS, Speech-generating devices have allowed some of the |
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most vulnerable among us to experience a greater quality of life, |
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and it is imperative for the federal government to preserve the |
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Medicare rental cap exception in order to prevent any disruption in |
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access to such vital resources; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas, |
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1st Called Session, hereby respectfully urge the United States |
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Congress to pass the Steve Gleason Enduring Voices Act of 2017; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
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the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of |
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Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the |
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members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that |
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this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a |
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memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. |