Call for Action!! Exclusions in Kansas

If your current state insurance company currently has an exclusion, I urge you to contact your insurance companies and your local Kansas legislatures to let them know that you want them to fight for your rights and get the exclusion dropped. That is the only way we will get the exclusion dropped. Weight Loss Surgery is the the only proven lasting treatment as a tool to help fight Obesity, which is a disease that thousands of Kansans are suffering from. Dropping this exclusion from our insurance companies, that our state insisted on will mean that thousands of Kansans who are suffering will have hope at a new life and a new beginning. It's important we start this process early, as they will be start drafting the new insurance policies for 2008 early this year and the legislature will be working on a major health care initiative we want WLS surgery included on. Below are few sample letters you can send (cut and paste): ************************************************************** from our friends at www.obesitylawyers.com Sample Letter: Dear _____________: I am writing to you as your constituent and a member of an invisible majority. I wish to call your attention to a serious and growing problem in this country. The problem of Obesity and Morbid Obesity is a chronic physiological disorder suffered by countless Americans. In April 2003, Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director of the Center's for Disease Control stated in no uncertain terms that Obesity is the Number 1 health threat in the United States today topping deaths caused by smoking. In 1991 the National Institute of Health found that very low calorie diets simply do not work long term when dealing with Obese and Morbidly Obese people. The Consensus report went on to hold that the only option in these situations is gastric restrictive surgery. In fact, the Dartmouth-Hitch**** Medical Center has released research that shows that gastric bypass not only helps patients take excess weight off and keep it off, it may also increase life expectancy by three years or more. I must tell you, on a personal level I have experience humiliation, health defects and personal difficulties as a result of my obesity. My co-morbidities, to wit: health conditions that are caused or worsened by my obese condition will be lessened if not cured as shown by recent medical studies. The health savings are tremendous. The financially savings to this Country in terms of medical expenses are enormous. Yet, despite the forgoing, Insurance Companies have continued to deny coverage for this life saving surgery. Post Operative patients are discriminated against by being rejected for disability and life insurance. I urge you to contact Gary Viscio of Viscio & Associates at 145 Willis Avenue, Mineola, New York 11501, 516-742-5300 and further discuss this situation. Your help is desperately needed. It is truly a matter of life or death. Thank you. ************************************************************** and another sample from our friends at www.obesityaction.org Below, please find a sample letter that will help you get started: Your Full Name Your Full Address Your City, State and Zip Your Phone Number with Area Code Current Date The Honorable (Insert Legislator or Public Official Name Here) Legislator or Official's Address Legislator or Official's City, State, Zip Dear Title (Governor, Senator, Representative, Commissioner, etc.), In your first paragraph, mention the following points: 1. You are writing to request their assistance in improving access to bariatric (weight-loss) surgery and other obesity management services in the state of Kansas. If writing specifically about state-employee program, mention it here. 2. Discuss how this specific issue affects you and your family. In your second and third paragraphs, mention the following items: 1. Further elaborate how the issue affects or has affected you. 2. Share your personal connection with the issue in question. (Remember to remain brief. A short letter can accomplish just as much as a long one.) In your last paragraph, discuss the following closing items: 1. Urge them to help restore access to obesity management services. 2. Request that the individual write you back, informing you on their position regarding the issue. 3. Thank the individual. Sincerely, Your Full Name Very truly yours, ************************************************************** and to find your current state senator/congressmen go to www.congress.org you'll have to put in your zip code. Don't forget to also contact Governor Sebelius and the State Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger to voice your concerns too. (Don't forget to tell the Governor that you want WLS as part of her major Health Care Initiative that she will be proposing next legislative session!) Governor Kathleen Sebelius Capitol, 300 SW 10th Ave., Ste. 212S Topeka, KS 66612-1590 Phone: (785) 296-3232 Fax: (785) 368-8788 www.ksgovernor.org (to send email go to her website and send email via her webform) and Sandy Praeger State Insurance Commissioner 1-800-432-2484 or e-mail [email protected] Good luck!! Post to let us know what you are doing to help fight!

Just to let you know I have sent a letter to February 2, 2007 to Kansas officials already to have my voice heard. I have not sent a copy to my insurance company (Coventry)or to the insurance commissioner yet but I will.

That's awesome! Keep writing them! I am about to do another round! :D Governor Sebelius and the state legislature is pushing for some major health care initiatives, hopefully we can all break these chains next year! But we have to keep writing! She replied to me and said she sent my letter to people who deal with the state insurance. Sydney Carlin has also been a great help! Thanks for sharing. Chad

yeah I got that same letter back today as well as a response.

What did your response say??

Basically the same thing yours did.

Got an email my local representative. It's not looking too good right now. It appears that the Governor's health care initiative is not being met with open arms in the statehouse. Get ahold of your local representatives in the statehouse to tell them you want them to support the Governor's mission of expanding healthcare coverage and you want better access to more obesity management services including weight loss surgery!