How To Make The Patient Voice Heard In The Legislative Process

By Steve Smith, President, Patient Advocacy, WCG

Patients and their advocates can--and do!--use their collective voice to promote transformation through the legislative process. It can be a protracted process, but it can yield dramatic changes in policy that speed drug development and enhance safety.

One notable piece of pending legislation is the “Access to Genetic Counselors Act of 2019” (H.R. 3235). If enacted, it would improve access to genetic counseling for Medicare enrollees by recognizing certified genetic counselors as healthcare providers.