Rep response to my bill 552 letter

For what it is worth: Here is the response to a letter that I wrote to my state rep. It sounds to me as if it has an up hill battle at this point. Take care Scott Dear Scott: Thanks for writing and for your patience in my responding. I am very open-minded to Senate Bill 552, AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY OF HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR MEDICAL SERVICES AND TREATMENT FOR MORBID OBESITY AND PROSTHETIC DEVICES. This bill would require individual and group health insurance policies to provide coverage for medically necessary expenses associated with the diagnosis and treatment of morbid obesity, including, bariatric surgery and associated physician office visits, health and behavior assessments, nutrition education, patient self-management education and training and therapeutic exercises. The bill was voted out of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee and is pending on the Senate Calendar. It is unclear if this issue will come before me for a vote in the House. However, if it does please know that your thoughts will be on my mind. I can clearly see the merits of the proposal. Thanks again for writing and please keep in touch. Rep. Tom Reynolds

Hey Scott, At least you heard from yours. I sent several and haven't heard a word from any of them to date. Honestly ..... I didn't expect to. After all, I'm ONLY a voter!!!!!!! What they fail to realize is that I'm one with a memory ... a VERY good one! Thanks for sharing yours. {{{{HUGS}}}} Sandy

You need to write your representative back and ask him to support Raised SB 579 (which directs the state Insurance Commissioner to devise regulations which would compel insurers to cover bariatric surgery); this bil has been favorably reported out of the PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE. Quite frankly, the Insurance and Real Estate Committee substitute bill is a farce-- there have been ample studies already commenced on the long-term and short-term costs of obesity surgery. Also, there are countless studies that document the cost of obesity. In fact, in the report for SB 579, the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health documented these costs for Connecticut. The only parties to oppose SB 579 were the insurance lobby who, as could be expected, hid behind the classic lies that the surgery is "dangerous" and not proven to be successful to all who have it done. Of courese, the fact that over 90% of people who diet fail to sustain their weight loss and the fact that obese people have significantly higher death rates from cancer, cardiovascular disease and the complications of diabetes would make the alternative to bariatric surgery a safer and more effective solution. Please contact your senators and representatives and ask them to bring SB 579 to the floor for a vote. Thanks.