Amy Byer Shainman: Attention, fellow patient advocates, genetic counselors desperately need our help
Kathy Baker, Founder and Executive Director of My Faulty Gene, shared the following post by Amy Byer Shainman, Patient Advocate, on LinkedIn:
“Within my advocacy, genetic counseling has always been my number one platform.
WHY?
A certified genetic counselor is the most qualified healthcare provider to assess an individual’s cancer risk, order appropriate genetic tests (if any), and interpret those genetic test results (both positive and negative results). Genetic testing is not black and white. It is nuanced.
Attention, fellow patient advocates: genetic counselors desperately need our help so that the profession will continue to exist! The National Society of Genetic Counselors has been working on passing the Access to Genetic Counselor Services Act for decades. Genetic counselors are still not considered eligible health care providers under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services list of reimbursable services.
What can patient advocates do?
- Share your experience with a genetic counselor to help hashtag CMS see what a great value genetic counselors are to diagnostic odysseys, family communication, psychosocial support, and understanding of your family’s genetic disease(s).
- If you have a following of 500+ followers on your LinkedIn or Instagram accounts?
- Please reach out to [email protected] by by Thursday, June 27th.
(FYI, Hashtag NSGC requests INDIVIDUALS with personal experiences with genetic counselors rather than organizations.)
Please share this post!
- Genetic Counselors help to detect Medicare fraud in new genetic testing labs that are popping up!
- Genetic Counselors decrease the cost of testing by choosing the most efficient genetic testing options!
- Genetic Counselors help patients understand their genes more than any other provider and empower them to seek resources and advocate for their community!”
Kathy Baker shared this post by adding the following:
“I’m re-sharing a very important post from Amy Byer Shainman. For those of us working or volunteering in the hereditary cancer community, the importance of genetic counselors cannot be overstated. And they need our help in support of pending legislation!
Please read and re-share Amy’s post, and let’s put some pressure on our legislators to pass this much needed legislation.”
Source: Amy Byer Shainman/LinkedIn and Kathy Baker/LinkedIn
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