Potential to Use Tax-Free Dollars for Cord Blood Banking

Medical researchers are actively pursuing new ways to use a child's own cord blood stem cells to treat a wide range of life-limiting and life-threatening diseases. However, while the IRS allows families to use tax-free dollars to pay for everyday medical expenses like over-the-counter cough syrup or band aids, the law does not allow expectant parents' to use pre-tax dollars to pay for preserving their newborn's cord blood stem cells. "The Family Cord Blood Banking Act" (H.R. 1718) would change this and help reduce the cost of cord blood banking.

We need your help to support H.R. 1718 which would allow families to use tax-free dollars to pay for cord blood banking through flexible spending accounts (FSAs), health savings accounts (HSAs) or health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs).

Every Voice Counts: Here's how you can help.

H.R. 1718 has solid bi-partisan support, but more co-sponsors are needed to help accelerate the process and ensure that the bill becomes law. Please e-mail your U.S. Congressional Representative and ask him or her to sign-on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 1718, The Family Cord Blood Banking Act.

Three Easy Steps:

1. Know what the bill says: Read the content of H.R. 1718 here.
2. Draft an e-mail: It's important to use your own words, but here's a sample template.Include reasons why you chose to bank your child's cord blood.
3. Contact your U.S. Representative: Visit the U.S. House of Representatives "Write Your Representative" web site.

Please note: Physical letters are not effective given the security procedures and length of time to deliver items to offices. Focused e-mail letters make an impact.

The Time is Now!

Because Congress is actively discussing Healthcare Reform issues now, your e-mails will have the most impact in the next few weeks-before the July 4th holiday.

Thank you in advance for your support of this important legislation to make cord blood banking more affordable for all American families.