TO:

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

SUBJECT:

End Gender Based Discrimination in WISEWOMAN Program

BODY:

CDC Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, Director, Leandris Liburd, Deputy Director (Acting), Kem Williams, Secretary Sebelius, HHS Inspectors,

I recently read the sad tale of a man who died because of a preventable heart condition. As /u/Avocadocriste6625 explained:

"A good friend of mine died 2 days ago from a heart attack, and I’m really angry because it could have been prevented if it had been screened. He was 58.

"He’s a guy I know from my apartment complex, He’s lived there since I was born, and he’s a really cool, nice guy.

"Starting 2 years ago he would stopped going out as much, and would say that his heart was in pain. ..

"As it turns out, had he been born female, he might have been saved.

"There is a government funded program called the WiseWoman campaign where uninsured women can get free heart screenings. Men are not allowed to use this service.

"Last week he said he went to clinic run by the CDC and asked if he could get his heart screened, but he was told “there were no services available.” 2 days ago he died, and I’m f*****g pissed. He was 58, he shouldn’t be dead."

http://www.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/1wo0n4/a_good_friend_died_2_days_ago_he_was_denied_a/

I believe that the CDC likely violated the civil rights of this man, and other men and boys like him.

SEC. 1557. NONDISCRIMINATION. of the Affordable Care Act says:

"Except as otherwise provided for in this title (or an amendment made by this title), an individual shall not, on [grounds including sex] be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under, any health program or activity, any part of which is receiving Federal financial assistance."

If this man were allowed the same benefits as similarly situation women under the WISEWOMAN program, he might well be alive today.

Section 3509 of the ACA on Improving Women's Health does provide for some gender based differences, but only:

‘‘(c) DEFINITION .—As used in this section, the term Women’s Health (established under section ‘women’s health conditions’, with respect to women of all age, ethnic, and racial groups, means diseases, disorders, and conditions—

‘‘(1) unique to, significantly more serious for, or significantly more prevalent in women; and ‘‘(2) for which the factors of medical risk or type of medical intervention are different for women, or for which there is reasonable evidence that indicates that such factors or types may be different for women.

It is a violation of the civil rights of men, boys, and their children, for the CDC to illegally expand program for "women's health conditions" to include programs which discriminate without a rational basis that they are "significantly more prevalent" and when there is little reason that in the context of the program, including basis risk factor screening, "such factors or types may be different in women".

The reality is while heart disease and stroke impact both a significant number of men and women, there is scant evidence that it is a significantly unique, or significantly more serious problem for women than men, nor is there evidence that the type of medical interventions practiced by the program are significantly different for women than those for men.

Accordingly, I urge you to modify the WISEWOMAN program to screen both men and women, in accordance with your duties to respect the civil rights of all Americans to nondiscrimination under the Affordable Care Act and other applicable laws.

Please note that this is the most recent of a long line of requests available to you online at:

http://www.reddit.com/r/mractivism/new

I urge you to also investigate all previous requests. I also invite you to break your silence with regards to these victims, and help Men's Rights community members understand how you are protecting men, boys, and their children by participating in our community.