Key Health Committees

U.S. Senate                            

     Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee

          Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Chairman

          Senator Michael Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member

     Committee on Finance

          Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), Chairman

          Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Member

U.S. House of Representatives

     Committee on Ways and Means

          Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY), Chairman

          Representative Jim McCrery (R-LA), Ranking Member 

     Committee on Energy and Commerce

          Representative John Dingell (D-MI), Chairman

          Representative Joe Barton (R-TX), Ranking Member

Additional Health Agencies/Resources

     Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

     Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

     National Cancer Institute (NCI)

     Health Care Costs Toolkit - Alliance for Health Reform

Writing to Your Legislators

How and where to send your letter

Some legislative offices prefer email, others prefer a faxed letter, and some prefer "snail mail" (US Postal Mail)-if you are not sure of the preference, call and ask. We recommend following the recipient's preference for means of correspondence.

If you are sending something to a federal legislator, it is best to send it via email or fax-particularly if you are writing about a time-sensitive issue. The Federal mail system in Washington, DC has severely delayed deliveries as a result of the anthrax attack in 2001.

General Guidelines

1. Although NPAF may provide you with recommended content for your letter when we ask you to take action on a specific issue, it is critical that you take a few moments to personalize the letter so it is read and considered, not just counted. If you don't take the time to personalize your letter and include original content, it will likely be given a quick glance and tallied, rather than read.
2. In the first paragraph, identify yourself as a volunteer patient advocate for the National Patient Advocate Foundation. Being a volunteer is a powerful position and your perspective and insight are often more valuable from a legislator's point of view, since you are not being paid to care about the issue as many lobbyists are.
3. State the purpose of your letter in the first paragraph. We will provide you with the necessary details of the issue, related bill number(s), why it is of concern, and the "ask" (what action you want the legislator to take) to incorporate into the body of the letter. To ensure that our message is consistent and the patients' voices are heard loud and clear, it is critical that the "ask" is the same in all letters we direct you to sent on behalf of NPAF.
4. If you have one, tell your personal story as it pertains to the subject of your letter-briefly. You may be a patient, healthcare provider, caregiver, or simply someone who wants to help patients; use your perspective to highlight the real people touched by the issue.
5. Be clear and concise-they are busy and will appreciate your story, the facts, and the "ask"-the essential information. In most cases, letters should not exceed one page.
6. Be polite. Even if you are upset with your legislator for his or her past actions on an issue, your message will be better received if it is not threatening, antagonistic, sarcastic, or disrespectful. Perhaps you were in disagreement on a previous issue, but you might be in agreement on the next one.
7. Even if you have numerous "asks" for your legislator, keep it to one or two per letter so as not to overwhelm them.
8. Although you may volunteer for other organizations or just want to express your opinion on a different issue, we ask that you do so in a separate letter to avoid confusion about where NPAF stands on the issue(s).
9. Express thanks for any recent action taken to increase or preserve access to healthcare. If you know the legislator's position on similar legislation, be sure to mention this-it indicates your awareness of the legislator's voting record.
10. You may ask for a response at the end of your letter, but be patient in waiting for one. Legislators receive an enormous amount of correspondence from constituents and it can take weeks for them to respond. If you are requesting specific action in your letter, be sure to follow up!
11. Be sure to double-check your spelling and grammar.
12. Be sure to include your full name, home address, phone number, and email so that your identity as a constituent is clear and it is easier to respond to you. This information can go in the upper right corner of your letter or below your name at the bottom.
13. Even if your legislator does not respond favorably to your request, don't burn bridges. Even if you do not gain agreement on one specific issue, chances are good that you will make another contact on another issue at some time in the future. Never damage the relationship you carefully established with your legislator or staff member(s).

Phone Calls

Telephone calls are most effective when your voice needs to be heard immediately. NPAF will provide you with key "talking points" and the specific "ask" to incorporate into the phone call.

Ask to speak with the staff member who works with healthcare legislation. If this individual is not available, ask for voicemail. If that is full, leave a message with the receptionist. When speaking with the staff member, state your name, that you are a constituent, and the reason for your call. Limit your call to 3-4 minutes and use written notes to ensure that you stay on message. Be sure to give your name and contact information to the person with whom you speak.

Legislative Glossary

Full list of glossary items