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Permalink Reply by Jack/dt on July 29, 2011 at 9:41am

Doing the math from this link
Ten thousand (10,000) WTC Health Registry enrollees (nearly 15% of the total) live outside the New York/New Jersey area, there are about 70,000 individuals covered by the 911 Health Compensation Act (70,000x.15=10,500). Clearly a very small minority.

From here,
The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2009, sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), would provide medical monitoring to those exposed to toxins at ground zero, bolster treatment at specialized centers for those afflicted by toxins on Sept. 11 and reopen a compensation fund to provide for the economic loss of victims.

And it’s all paid for by closing a tax loophole on foreign companies with U.S. subsidiaries, Democrats said.

But according to Republicans, it’s a job-killing growth of government that wou;d create a new entitlement and waste taxpayer dollars.

From here,
Forty-one of the 42 Republican Senators voted against the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, with one Republican, Sen. Sam Brownback of Kentucky, abstaining. Only one Democratic Senator, Harry Reid of Nevada, voted against the bill.

Apparently, and consistent with Republican efforts to cut government spending and waste, it was thought that by including cancer coverage (as yet 'unproven' to be a result of working the pile) the Health Compensation Act would become another entitlement program and antithetical to their over arching goal of reducing government spending.

I'm sure that all those politicians who voted against the 911 Health Compensation Act, and then later required that cancer coverage be eliminated (in order to pass the Act) feel rather badly but did so in the spirit of capitalism, free enterprise, debt and spending reduction, smaller government and in line with the pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps mentality.

I think it's a small price to pay (on the part of 911 responders/survivors) to help America in its time of need. People should write/email their Senators thanking them for having the heart to stand up to bleeding heart first responders who feel entitled to mandated, Federal Government (tax payer) funded, free health care.

Other links of interest:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/10/nyregion/10health.html
http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/111/senate/2/269
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/07/28/new.york.trade.center.cancer/
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/wtc/faq.html

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Permalink Reply by Ray J on September 28, 2011 at 7:55am

Why Isn't FDNY On Panel To Decide If Cancer Should Be Covered By Zadroga 9/11 Law?

City firefighters are furious no FDNY rep is on a new advisory panel to help decide if cancer should be added to diseases covered by the 9/11 Zadroga health law. The 15-member panel of doctors and advocates will send its recommendations to Dr. John Howard, head of the World Trade Center Health Program. Although a study that tracked sick and dying firefighters is one of the key medical reports the panel will consider, the U.S. Department Health and Human Services did not pick anyone from the FDNY for the panel. "Firefighters were at Ground Zero in record numbers for extended periods of time. I don't know why as a group they were left out," said Steve Cassidy, president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association. John Feal, a Ground Zero construction supervisor and 9/11 victims' advocate said he's worried that the decision to exclude firefighters will effectively keep "the most vocal on this issue off the panel." New medical studies found higher cancer rates among firefighters and other workers exposed to Ground Zero toxins than among the general public. Howard has until early November to decide whether to add certain cancers to the list, allowing victims to get treatment and apply for compensation. "We will be fighting to get someone from the Fire Department on the panel," said Capt. Al Hagan, head of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association. Fred Blosser, a spokesman for the federal National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, said the FDNY could fill vacancies as they open up. "Not being on the committee ... does not reduce one's voice in the process," Blosser said. Cancer was not on the list of covered diseases because GOP leaders said adding it would balloon the $4.3 billion price tag, sources said.

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