Social Media Blitz!
On May 3rd, VBCF staff and volunteer advocates will “travel” to Capitol Hill to meet with Virginia’s federal lawmakers virtually for the 2022 National Breast Cancer Coalition’s (NBCC) Lobby Day. Help us amplify our message by posting on your social media accounts and making a quick phone call to your legislator. When lawmakers hear directly from you, it can make a big impact!
Five Virginia U.S. Representatives are already Co-Sponsors
Rep. Connolly (VA-11)
Rep. Griffith (VA-09)
Rep. Luria (VA-02)
Rep. Scott (VA-03)
Rep. Spanberger (VA-07)
The Issue
Our goal is to get more of Virginia’s national legislators on board as co-sponsors of the, bipartisan Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act (H.R. 3183) in Congress. This bill would waive the waiting periods for Medicare (24 months) and Social Security Disability benefits (5 months) for eligible individuals living with metastatic breast cancer.
The average life expectancy for patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is 36 months. Under current law, individuals with MBC may never receive the SSDI and Medicare benefits for which they are eligible. Waiving the waiting periods would allow patients to get access to the health care they need sooner and help lessen the stress and financial burden they are facing.
Here are Virginia’s key U.S. Representatives who we want to get on board as cosponsors:
Rep. Don Beyer
(VA-08)
Rep. Ben Cline
(VA-06)
Rep. Bob Good
(VA-05)
Rep. Donald McEachin
(VA-04)
Rep. Jennifer Wexton
(VA-10)
Rep. Rob Wittman
(VA-01)
How YOU Can Help: Take Action on Tuesday, May 3rd
- If you do not know, find out who your U.S. Representative is: Who’s My Legislator?
- Check the lists above to see if your Representative is a co-sponsor of the Metastatic Breast Cancer bill.
- Use the examples below to post a Tweet and/or a Facebook post, and make a phone call to your legislator’s office to either a) ask for their support or b) thank them for their support.
- Or go to VBCF’s Twitter page (@vbcfconnection) or Facebook page and “re-tweet” or “share” any/all of our posts
TWITTER POST EXAMPLES
- Use these example tweets below or write your own.
- Include the following hashtags and handles in your post: @TheNationalBreastCancerCoalition @VBCFconnection #NBCConTheHill #bcsm
- Check VBCF’s Twitter account, @vbcfconnection, and feel free to “re-tweet” any of our posts.
Urging support:
@Rep____________ We need your support to waive #Medicare and SSDI waiting periods for people with #metastaticbc. Can the #breastcancer community count on you? @TheNationalBreastCancerCoalition @VBCFconnection #NBCConTheHill #bcsm
Thank yous:
@Rep________________ thank you for supporting HR 3183 a bill to waive #Medicare and SSDI waiting periods for people with #metastaticbc. #NBCConTheHill @TheNationalBreastCancerCoalition @VBCFconnection
VA Legislator Twitter Handles:
VA-01 Robert J. Wittman @RobWittman
VA-02 Elaine Luria @RepElaineLuria
VA-03 Robert C. Scott @BobbyScott
VA-04 A. Donald McEachin @RepMcEachin
VA-05 Bob Good @RepBobGood
VA-06 Ben Cline @RepBenCline
VA-07 Abigail Spanberger @RepSpanberger
VA-08 Donald S. Beyer, Jr. @RepDonBeyer
VA-09 H. Morgan Griffith @RepMGriffith
VA-10 Jennifer Wexton @RepWexton
VA-11 Gerald E. Connolly @GerryConnolly
FACEBOOK POST EXAMPLES
- Use these sample messages below or write your own.
- Make sure to “tag” your legislator in your Facebook post.
- Also tag @VirginiaBreastCancerFoundation and @TheNationalBreastCancerCoalition
- Use the graphics below to add a great visual punch to your post.
- Check VBCF’s Facebook page and “share” any of our posts.
Urging Support:
People living with metastatic breast cancer don’t have time to wait to receive the benefits they have already qualified for. @Rep________ We need your support to waive Medicare and SSDI waiting periods for people with metastatic breast cancer. Can the breast cancer community count on you to support HR 3183? [Add a personal statement about why this matters to you]
Thank yous:
Thank you @Rep________ for being a co-sponsor of HR 3183, a bill that waives the Medicare and SSDI waiting periods for people with metastatic breast cancer. [Add a personal statement about why this matters to you]
Facebook Tags
VA-01 Robert J. Wittman @RepRobWittman
VA-02 Elaine Luria @RepElaineLuria
VA-03 Robert C. Scott @RepBobbyScott
VA-04 A. Donald McEachin @RepMcEachin
VA-05 Bob Good @RepBobGood
VA-06 Ben Cline @RepBenCline
VA-07 Abigail Spanberger @RepSpanberger
VA-08 Donald S. Beyer, Jr. @RepDonBeyer
VA-09 H. Morgan Griffith @RepMorganGriffith
VA-10 Jennifer Wexton @CongresswomanWexton
VA-11 Gerald E. Connolly @CongressmanConnolly
Graphics for Social Media
(Right click to save to your computer.)
SAMPLE PHONE MESSAGE
You can find your legislator’s phone number using the “Who’s My Legislator” tool.
“I am a constituent of Representative X from (your home city/county), VA, I am calling to ask the Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 3183, The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act. This bill is important to me as a (breast cancer survivor/patient/advocate) because it ensures that individuals with metastatic breast cancer don’t have to wait to get access to the care they need.”
