{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-call-for-answers-on-behalf-of-als-community", "Collins, King Call For Answers On Behalf of ALS Community", "2014-09-12", "2014", "2014-09", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Call For Answers On Behalf of ALS Community\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tLegislators Advocate for ALS and Neurological Disability Community \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, September 12, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013\u00a0Today U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King\u00a0sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter\u00a0to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requesting an explanation for recent policy changes impacting millions of Americans living with neurological and degenerative disabilities.\u00a0They\u00a0released the\u00a0following statement on these changes, which limit patient access to speech generating devices (SGDs). \u201cAmericans rely on these innovative technologies as their only means to continue communicating with family, friends, and the outside world, but CMS\u2019s recent actions are now limiting their ability to benefit from these tools that help lead to independent, productive lives. After hearing from numerous individuals living with ALS and other degenerative disabilities, we urge CMS to explain its shortsighted policy decisions. Together we stand with the millions of Americans living with degenerative disabilities who are being impacted. We must empower men and women with the opportunity to utilize 21st\u00a0century technologies that can have a tremendous impact on their quality of life.\u201d These\u00a0changes by CMS impact patient access to speech generating devices, including eye tracking technology, which is often the only option for those with\u00a0advanced degenerative conditions. Patients living with cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Rett Syndrome, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson\u2019s disease, brain stem stroke, locked-in syndrome, and traumatic brain injury are affected by these changes.\u00a0 This letter\u00a0seeks an explanation from CMS for these revisions, which include the prevention of unlocking of SGD devices \u2013 which expand their functionality \u2013 when Medicare is not being asked to cover or pay for those expanded functionalities. \u00a0 Representatives McMorris Rodgers, Tierney, Paulsen and Senators Collins and King were joined by 200 legislators who signed onto this bipartisan letter to CMS and Administrator\u00a0Marilyn\u00a0Tavenner.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-call-for-answers-on-behalf-of-als-community"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9026951156556606, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}