Advocacy April 9, 2020 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, SpeakerUnited States House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Kevin McCarthy, LeaderUnited States House of RepresentativesThe Honorable Mitch McConnell, LeaderUnited States SenateThe Honorable Charles Schumer, LeaderUnited States Senate Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leaders McConnell, Schumer, and McCarthy,The 157 undersigned organizations, representing millions of patients and consumers from across America, urge Congress to expand eligibility for the paid family and medical leave program to include individuals determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be at high risk for adverse complications from COVID-19 and working members of their households. This policy will allow those at highest risk to remain home for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and will help ensure their health and safety.Currently, paid family medical leave provides support only to those with children or adults with disabilities whose local school district or usual care providers are closed due to the pandemic. This policy does not go far enough. The hardworking Americans who have been advised by the CDC to remain home are only eligible for up to two weeks of financial support and job protection of expanded paid sick leave. This places individuals who live with significant health conditions such as cystic fibrosis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, organ transplants, sickle cell and others with a devastating choice: place their health or their loved one’s health at risk by going back to work or lose their jobs altogether. Additionally, adults living with family members who are immunocompromised also need access to this support to help protect these vulnerable Americans.At this time of great uncertainty in our country, it is important to understand that certain individuals are at much higher risk of adverse health events and death associated with COVID-19 than the rest of the population. Although recent research indicates the overall fatality rate from COVID-19 is around 2 percent, individuals with certain health conditions experience a greater rate of severe complications and have higher fatality rates from COVID-19. Research performed by the European Respiratory Society found that: patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a 25 percent fatality ratepatients with diabetes have a 10 percent fatality ratepatients with hypertension have a 10.4 percent fatality ratepatients with cerebrovascular disease have a 20 percent fatality rate Further, researchers at Johns Hopkins University have found that patients with cancer have a 5.6 percent fatality rate and those with cardiovascular disease have a 10.5 percent fatality rate.These very startling statistics demonstrate why individuals with serious health conditions and other risk factors, as identified by the CDC, and working members of their household should receive job protection and financial support through paid family leave. We call on Congress to make the following changes to the paid family and medical leave program created in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Expand eligibility for paid family leave to include anyone who, because of a serious health condition that places them at grave risk from COVID-19, has been advised by their physician to remain homeExpand eligibility for paid family leave or additional financial support to include anyone who has been advised by a physician to remain home because there is a member of their household who has a serious health condition that places them at grave risk from COVID-19Remove the arbitrary time limit on paid leave to ensure that these individuals can remain home as long as the COVID-19 pandemic poses a risk to their health and wellbeingEnsure this program applies to employers of all sizes In this extremely uncertain time for our country, we believe Congress can come together to provide some certainty for Americans who are afraid that their health or the health of a loved one will be placed at risk should they continue to work. We urge Congress to act swiftly to enact these changes. Sincerely, Academy of Oncology Nurse and Patient NavigatorsACCSESAllergy & Asthma NetworkALS AssociationAlstrom Syndrome InternationalAmerican Association on Health and DisabilityAmerican Autoimmune Related Diseases AssociationAmerican Diabetes AssociationAmerican Foundation for Suicide PreventionAmerican Kidney FundAmerican Liver FoundationAngioma AllianceAssociation for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually ImpairedAssociation of Oncology Social Work (AOSW)Asthma and Allergy Foundation of AmericaAutistic Self Advocacy NetworkAutistic Women and Nonbinary NetworkAxis AdvocacyBeyond Type 1Brain Injury Association of AmericaBridge the Gap – SYNGAP Education and Research FoundationCalifornia Access CoalitionCalifornia Chronic Care CoalitionCaregiver Action NetworkCARES Foundation Inc.Center for Independence of the Disabled, NYChildren’s Cancer CauseChristopher & Dana Reeve FoundationChronic Care Policy AllianceChronic Disease CoalitionCoelho Center for Disability Law, Policy and InnovationCommunicationFIRSTCongenital Hyperinsulinism InternationalCOPD FoundationCrohn’s & Colitis FoundationCure HHTCure SMACureDuchenneCystic Fibrosis FoundationCystic Fibrosis Research, Inc. (CFRI)Danielle Byron Henry Migraine FoundationDavis Phinney FoundationDepression and Bipolar Support AllianceDiabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC)Disability Rights CaliforniaDisability Rights Education & Defense FundDivision for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional ChildrenDystonia Advocacy NetworkDystonia Medical Research FoundationNational Association of Councils on Developmental DisabilitiesEpilepsy FoundationFamily Values @ WorkFamily VoicesFamily Voices NJFight Colorectal CancerGBS|CIDP Foundation InternationalGenetic AllianceGlobal Healthy Living FoundationGlobal Liver InstituteGO2 Foundation for Lung CancerGould Syndrome FoundationHealth HatsHeart Valve Voice USHemophilia Federation of AmericaHope CharitiesHPV AllianceHuntington’s Disease Society of AmericaHydrocephalus AssociationInternational Foundation for AiArthritisInternational Foundation for Gastrointestinal DisordersInternational Pemphigus Pemphigoid FoundationInterstitial Cystitis AssociationLakeshore FoundationLeukemia & Lymphoma SocietyLewy Body Dementia AssociationLivpactLupus and Allied Diseases Association, Inc.Lupus Foundation of AmericaLymphangiomatosis & Gorham’s Disease AllianceLymphatic Education & Research NetworkMarch of DimesMental Health AmericaMesothelioma Applied Research FoundationMETAvivorMLD FoundationMultiple Sclerosis Association of AmericaMuscular Dystrophy AssociationNAACP New York State ConferenceNASTADNational Alliance for CaregivingNational Alliance on Mental IllnessNational Alopecia Areata FoundationThe Bonnell Foundation: Living with cystic fibrosisThe Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy and InnovationThe Headache and Migraine Policy ForumNational Association of State Head Injury AdministratorsNational Center for Learning DisabilitiesNational Coalition for Cancer SurvivorshipNational Down Syndrome CongressNational Fabry Disease FoundationNational Health CouncilNational Health Law ProgramNational Hemophilia FoundationNational Kidney FoundationNational MPS SocietyNational Multiple Sclerosis SocietyNational Organization for Rare DisordersNational Pancreas FoundationNational Patient Advocate FoundationNational Urea Cycle Disorders FoundationNBIA Disorders AssociationNephCure Kidney InternationalNew York Chapter of the National SCDAANew York State Sickle Cell Advocacy NetworkOrganic Acidemia AssociationPaid Leave for the United States (PL+US)Patient AdvisorPreventive Cardiovascular Nurses AssociationProject SleepPTEN Hamartoma Tumor Syndrome FoundationPTEN WorldPulmonary Fibrosis FoundationPulmonary Hypertension AssociationPXE InternationalRespectAbilityRestless Legs Syndrome FoundationSCID Angels for Life FoundationScleroderma FoundationSickle Cell Thalassemia Patients Network (SCTPN)Siegel Rare Neuroimmune AssociationSjogren’s FoundationSolve ME/CFS InitiativeSpina Bifida AssociationSusan G. KomenTASHThe AIDS InstituteThe American Liver FoundationThe Arc of the United StatesThe Marfan FoundationThe Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s ResearchThe Migraine DivaThe Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, IncTourette Association of AmericaTransplant Recipients International Organization (TRIO)Transplant Support OrganizationTuberous Sclerosis AllianceUnited Cerebral Palsy NationalUnited for Charitable AssistanceUnited Spinal AssociationUnited States International Council on DisabilitiesUS Hereditary Angioedema AssociationVetsFirst VHL AllianceWhistleblowers of AmericaWomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart DiseaseZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer << Previous Post Making Masks Brings Together Longtime... Komen Blog Read More Next Post >> Komen Asks Congress for Policies... Komen Blog Read More Related Stories Previous Next Komen Blog Staying Positive Read More Komen Blog Mission Badge Read More Komen Blog I Never Thought I’d Be... 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