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Satinkitty’s Hairy and his human Matt Kelley
California man pushes bill to require Medicaid to pay for hairpieces BY Shuan Bishop The Palo Alto Daily News Redwood City, Calif.
Resident Matt Kelley was instrumental to the introduction of House Resolution 5936, which would require Medicaid to provide hair prostheses for people affected by Alopecia Areata. Matt Kelley has a hairless cat named Hairy. For Halloween last year Kelley dressed up as Michael Jordan, and the year before that as Mr. Clean — both well known bald figures. It wasn’t always like this. But his life changed three years ago, when in the span of six weeks Kelley lost every hair on his body. Eyebrows, eyelashes, a full head of hair — all gone. Kelley, 41 has Alopecia Areata, an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks hair follicles, causing all the hair to fall out. He has a sense of humor about itnow, but the beginnings of the disease sent him into deep depression. “I like to think I’m a tough guy that’s been through a lot,” he said “but it was just emontionally devastating.” Kelley’s efforts to spread awareness of the disease reached the hallds of Congress recently, when Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, introduced legislation so Alopecia Areata patients receiving Medicaid can be covered for prosthetic hairpieces. The Bipartisan bill would require Medicaid, the federal-state health program, to pay for one prosthetic hairpiece a year for patients with the most severe forms of the disease. Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N M, is co-sponsoring the bill. Proponets say those who scoff at paying for wigs for the non-life-threating condition don’t understand the psyhological pain it causes. “Having that hair prosthesis, it’s the only thing they can have,” said Lisa Butler, vice president of communications for the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. “There is no cure. There is no treatment that works for everybody, and it’s just giving them some normalcy again in their life.” An estimated 200,000 Americans have either Alopecia Areata Universalis (loss of all body hair) or Alopecia Areata Totalis )loss of all scalp hair). Of those, about 5,000 are on Medicaid and would benefit from legislation. Butler said “her hair prosthesis, which are custom made, can cost $1000.00 to $3000.00, a hardship for some families.” “It is critically important that we act to help those suffering from the condition obtain the supplies they need to effectively manage the condition” Eshoo said in a statement. Kelley, who founded Four Sports Memorabilia stores in the Bay Area, is not on Medicaid and chooses not to wear a wig. But he said he believes the prostheses would help some people cope with the condition. “Hair is kind of an integral part of our culture,” he said “It doesn’t help you walk like a prostheic leg might, but it helps you get out the door and deal with society.” Kelley’s lack of hair made him feel unattractive and as though everyone was staring at him. But eventually, he took it in stride and now tries to help other people with their struggles. He goes to a regular support group in San Francisco and attends an annual Alopecia conference that draws patients from around the world. “In a hotel lobby with a thousand bald people, it’s like futuristic or something,” he said. Find out more.
For more information: www.alpoeciaareata.com or (415) 472 3780. The website has info on the annual National Alpoecia Areata Foundation International Conference.
