Caregiver Action Network’s Empowered Advocates Webinar

Empowering Families in Health Policy Decision-Making

▶️ PRESS PLAY TO GET STARTED ☝️

During the webinar, attendees learn how to drive change to better support families navigating health challenges, hear from experts about how to work directly with state and federal representatives, see how empowered patients and care partners make a difference on key topics such as ICER meetings, and make a difference starting today by amplifying your voice through effective advocacy.

Meet the Participants

  • Marvell Adams Jr.: Marvell is the CEO of Caregiver Action Network, bringing over 20 years of experience serving caregivers and older adults. He has held leadership roles, including CEO of a large life plan community and COO within the Kendal System. Marvell is a skilled dementia care coach and a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in caregiving.

    He has earned numerous recognitions, including LeadingAge NY Administrator of the Year and Forty Under 40. Marvell also serves on boards like LeadingAge and Pioneer Network. He lives in Baltimore, MD, with his spouse and three children.

  • Mary Bono: Co-founder and CEO, Mothers for Awareness and Prevention of Drug Abuse and former Congresswoman

  • Thayer Roberts: Deputy Director, Partnership to Improve Patient Care

  • Siri Vaeth, MSW: Patient Advocate and Executive Director of the Cystic Fibrosis Research Institute

Turn Advocacy into Action with ICER

Now that you have the resources to effectively advocate, it’s time to turn advocacy into action.

During the webinar, we share the importance of engaging with the Institute for Clinical Effectiveness Research (ICER). Currently, ICER is accepting public comments on a recent assessment of a first-in-class non-opioid, non-addictive treatment innovation for acute pain.

Submit a public comment between December 9, 2024 and January 13, 2025 at 5 PM ET to share how acute pain has impacted you, your family or a loved one and why innovation in pain treatment is needed. Your feedback is valuable and will be used to measure the value and availability of accessing life-changing treatments.  More information from ICER on sharing the lived experience is available here.

Alternatives to PAIN Act

In addition to information about ICER, Mary Bono, co-founder and CEO of Mothers for Awareness and Prevention of Drug Abuse and a former Congresswoman, highlighted the Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (PAIN) Act.

The Alternatives to PAIN Act (S. 3832/ H.R. 7142) is bi-partisan legislation that would increase access  to non-opioid pain management options for seniors in Medicare Part D, which provides prescription drug coverage to nearly 52 million Americans.

The legislation would ensure that seniors have access to non-opioid pain management options and allow patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to choose the pain management treatment option that is right for them. Under this bill, Medicare Part D enrollees would never pay more for a non-opioid than they would for an opioid prescription.

Call your representative to advocate for the Alternatives to PAIN Act!