Here’s a graphic that describes the key takeaways from the amendment to add us to the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. To reiterate, we still have to make sure it passes through the House of Representatives. Once we know which Reps sit on the committee, we will share a call to action. Please stay tuned. Thank you, Christen Cummuso for sharing!
READ FULL AMENDMENT TEXT HERE: https://www.congress.gov/…/senate-amendment/1058/text
Understandably, a common question has emerged since the introduction of S. Amendment 1058 (inclusion into RECA) — Why isn’t my illness covered, particularly appendix cancer and specific autoimmune diseases?
Currently, the federal government recognizes a specific list of diseases that can be attributed to radiation exposure. There is a chance your disease is caused by exposure, but data may not exist to prove it…yet.
Within the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) there is a screening and education grant program called, The Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program (RESEP). According to the RESEP website, the program was created “to help the thousands of people diagnosed with cancer and other diseases due to exposure to nuclear materials such as uranium or nuclear fallout.
RESEP grants help healthcare organizations provide:
• Outreach to uranium miners, millers, downwinders, and ore transporters
• Medical screenings for early detection of non-malignant and malignant diseases
• Referrals for medical treatment
• Education about radiogenic cancer and disease
• Assistance with medical documentation for the RECA program”
If we are successful in getting covered by the RECA program, we may automatically qualify for RESEP. If so, it would be a great opportunity to not only provide screenings but to also track diseases in our area. Which, in turn, may lead to additional diseases being added to the program in the future. Right now we have anecdotal evidence of other common diseases, but we would need official data and analysis to get them recognized. It’s a very long road that begins with trying to get us into the program. I know that doesn’t help everyone right now, but it will help so many. Please know, we won’t stop working towards a better future for our region.
: Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Graphic
