State Efforts

Join forces with APF, other organizations and thousands of others across the United States who are committed to raising public awareness and promoting the best pain policy, legislation and practice. By uniting, mobilizing and leveraging our collective voices, we can improve pain management. It is not acceptable that 76.5 million Americans suffer pain and the majority do not receive appropriate care!

Washington State Residents: 

Thank you for responding to our alert last week and speaking up for the rights of people with pain! 
We united our voices in regards to Washington (WA) state pain legislation - SHB 2876 and its potential negative impact on access to appropriate and legitimate pain care for thousands of Washington citizens.  If you would like more details about our concerns, please click here.  With your help this bill was amended before it passed the WA Senate on Thursday, March 4, 2010, with some improvement in the language.  SHB 2876 will now go to conference to be reconciled with the House version of this bill.  We will keep you updated.  Click here for the full text of the bill as it passed the Senate, the revisions are on the last page.

Your voice is still needed! The bill is now in conference between the Senate and the House to reconcile the added language.  Please contact your state Congressperson (Senator or Representative) to express your support for the amended version of the bill protecting access to the best pain care WA State can provide.  

Share Your Pain Story
If you are a WA State resident interested in sharing your story and registering your opinion with the public, elected officials and other decision makers in Washington State, please complete our WA State Pain Survey. By sharing your voice and experience, you will help increase awareness about the need for timely and appropriate pain care. Click here to take action and for more information.

Missouri State Residents: 

Testimony Needed for Missouri Senate Bill 918
Senate Bill 918 positively addresses two insurance policies which APF and the Missouri Pain Initiative (MOPI) find potentially harmful to people living with pain: therapeutic switching (or substitution) and step therapy.  There will be a hearing for this bill on Tuesday, March 16, 2010.  Your support is needed.  If you have personal experience with either of these issues your testimony is needed.  Please click here to learn more and submit your testimony.

New York State Residents:

Pain Awareness Briefing was held in Albany, New York on January 26, 2010
The briefing, Treating Pain: Arming New Yorkers with Access, succeeded in raising awareness among legislators and members of the public about the importance of having pain adequately and appropriately treated. For a complete agenda of the day’s events and more information, please click here.  

 

Last Updated: 03/09/10