In case any of you have trouble remembering to take your vitamins, I have a mailing list set up to send out reminders twice a day, at 6 am and 6 pm. If you are interested in signing up, send a e-mail to vitamin_reminders-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or click on my WWW folder below to visit the group page. Sherri

This week the Birthday Patrol is here to honor our very own: Monday: Carol Holman of ??? Diana Hix of East Valley, AZ Jennifer Walker of Harrison, AR Kelly J of Niagara Falls, NY Krista Redmayne of Lancaster CA Shawna M of MO Tuesday: Donna Mae of Fairfax Station, VA Jess J of South Ozone Park, NY Patti C of Garden Grove, CA Simone Pepper of Inver Grove Heights, MN Teri UpstateNY of Marathon, NY Wednesday: Lisa Jacob Ms Batt of Florence, AL Patty S of North Pole, AK Thursday: Brenda Johnson of Elizabethcity, NC Brenda M of Marietta, GA Brenda Moler of Farmersville, CA Donna Dean of Nappanee, IN Evelyn Dibble of Bradford, PA Gisellena of Panhandle, FL Lisa Shoemake of Conway, AR Mikey Ragan RN of Carlsbad, CA Mom of 2 Sprinkles from Cape Coral, FL Reneka Guion of Ayden, NC Vanessa Bee of Brimley, MI Friday: Kimberly Shivers of Brandon, MS Monique Robinson of Waldorf, MD Paula Dodson of Loves Park, IL HAPPY BIRTHDAY ... YOU GO, DEAR FRIENDS, IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY!!! God bless you and may all your wishes come true!! & {{{HUGS}}} & Melissa Mermaid & All Your AMOS Pals P.S. The Birthday Patrol celebrates your real birthday (not surgery anniversary dates). This way EVERYONE can participate. Click on "Birthday Patrol" (profile link) to find out how to sign up for the Birthday Patrol. Customarily, ONLY THOSE WHO ACTIVELY SIGN UP FOR BIRTHDAY PATROL ARE ACKNOWLEDGED BY A POST ON THEIR BIRTHDAYS. Please do not feel left out if you don't "sign up" ... There is no other system available to us for gathering this information. Birthday Patrol is NOT an official OH project. P.P.S. VERY IMPORTANT: If you have ALREADY REGISTERED for "Birthday Patrol," please double-check the list in about a week after submitting to make sure you're on it; the computer has not always been kind!

According to the news and the PA at the surgeon's office where I *had* an appointment for next week, on February 21st the announcement was made that "Medicare would cover some procedures only at hospitals considered "centers for excellence" by the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Bariatric Surgery." Hospitals were given no time to apply for certification from either organization. We ALL need to contact our federal congressmen and senators about this. The more he11 we raise, the more likely it is the rule will be reversed or revised. Here are some things to point out in your communication (preferably by phone): 1. There was no notice given for this ruling. Hospitals should have had time to apply for certification. 2. Obesity is a life-threatening disease and this ruling has dramatically reduced the facilities available to perform bariatric surgery for months to come. 3. Waivers ARE available and you should urge your politicians to push for a waiver for your particular hospital. Here's the list of US Senators. Just find yours and slam them with emails & phone calls: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm Here's the list of Congressmen. Ditto above: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issuesaction/alertlist/?issue=30

Hello!
:wave:
ObesityHelp is looking for sample Letters of Medical Necessity for Plastic Surgery....If you have written a letter that has been successful in obtaining insurance coverage for your plastic surgery and you wish to help others, please email your letters to: TammyColter@Obesityhelp.com
With your permisssion, your letter may be used on ObesityHelp or in one of our publications. (Please indicate if you wish to remain anonymous.)

All my best,
Tammy Colter
ObesityHelp.com
Director of Media & PR