"Of the three million Americans who suffer from glaucoma, many never get tested early---and do not find out until it's too late.  Instead, these people end up enduring much pain, blurred vision and ultimately, blindness, " said Andrews.  "This is a smart plan because it allows doctors to test at risk individuals and begin treating them long before the debilitating effects of glaucoma set in."

In the past, Medicare paid for routine testing for glaucoma only after a patient was identified as having symptoms of the disease.  Under the new law that was included in last year's omnibus budget bill, which Congressman Andrews supported, Medicare will cover 80% of the costs to pre-screen persons at high risk for glaucoma to identify early warning signs for the disease.  Medicare defines "high-risk" as individuals with a family history of glaucoma, and individuals with diabetes in addition to those exhibiting symptoms of the disease. 

Early identification and treatment of glaucoma will reduce the number of serious cases leading to a huge cost savings in treatment of the disease.  The National Eye Health Education Program estimates that as many as 120,000 Americans are now blind from the disease.  Based on this estimate, blindness due to open-angle glaucoma costs the U.S. government over 1.5 billion annually in Social Security benefits, lost income tax revenues, and health care expenditures.  Glaucoma screenings cost Medicare approximately $35 per patient. Therefore, avoiding only one case of glaucoma pays over 350 of these tests. 

Beginning in January of 2002, healthcare professionals like those at Camden Optometric, will be reimbursed by Medicare for screening patients with a family history for glaucoma to prevent advanced stages of the disease.  This program will be especially helpful to lower income populations that do not have the disposable income to be tested regularly for the disease.  Outreach programs like the one at Camden Optometric will help to benefit minority populations who are 40% more likely to be diagnosed with the glaucoma yet do not have the access to care to detect it. 

As part of an entire day devoted to improving healthcare in South Jersey, Rep. Andrews met with members of the New Jersey Hospital Association at Kennedy Hospital in Stratford to outline his new legislation to provide health insurance to America's 44 million uninsured persons.  It is estimated that 1.1 million New Jersey residents -- 15% of the State's population --do not have health insurance.  When an uninsured patient receives care at one of New Jersey's hospitals, the hospital is partially reimbursed from the New Jersey Charity Care Fund.  But, these hospitals are forced to bear much of the cost on their own, which places a tremendous strain on the institutions operating budget.  As the senior Democrat on the House subcommittee overseeing the nation's private health insurance law, Andrews hopes to help the uninsured and to soften the burden borne by New Jersey Hospitals by increasing the enrollment and availability of programs like NJ Kidcare and NJ Family Care for uninsured children and providing affordable options for adults to purchase health care insurance. 

Next, Rep. Andrews addressed students of the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia on healthcare issues in Congress. He answered questions from students on the proposed Prescription Drug benefit for seniors, the Patient's Bill of Rights and Medicare reimbursement levels.

Rep. Andrews concluded his day by meeting with doctors and healthcare specialists at Underwood Hospital in Woodbury to discuss needed improvements in Asthma research.  The Congressman solicited the group's ideas for improving how the Federal Government researches the causes and effects of Asthma and sought new methods for identifying possible social and environmental causes of the disease.  Approximately 15 million Americans suffer from Asthma.  Rep. Andrews plans to develop legislation this year to increase the National Institute of Health's funding for Asthma research, to improve indoor air quality in order to prevent asthma, and to provide treatment options for lower income victims who are 1.5 times more likely to suffer complications as a result of Asthma.