Exclusions in Kansas! Contact your Representatives!

If your current state insurance company currently has an exclusion, I urge you to contact your insurance companies, human resources 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 now, as they will be drafting the new insurance policies for 2008. 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!

Chad, No one likes exclusions in insurance policies, but no one likes mandates either. FYI, mandates such as you are suggesting will increase the cost of health care. Currently roughly 20% of the cost of health insurance in small group coverage are a result of federal and state mandated coverage.  Our fight for the right to have WLS coverage is not with the States, its is with the carriers. We have to prove that having the surgery is cheaper for them in the long run than not having it. You see, it has to be cost effective for the carriers to provide coverage for it. The only way that can be done is with a set guide lines as to how you qualify for the surgery and provin outcomes. This will take information from the providers.  What needs to be done is to establish a task force to collect the needed information and get the facts out to those who can effect the change.  This is my opinion, I could be wrong.

Mike,  I understand what you are saying.  But the thing with the exclusions at least for my plan, because I am state employee is at the state level.  I have spoke with BCBS of KS and they told me that they were not the ones that wrote the exclusion into the current contract, but the state has put the exclusion into our coverage.  Many times this is the case, because the insurance providers at least in this case aren't the villain and seem to understand now that WLS actually cuts costs over the long haul.  And most employers who have BCBS of KS may be in the same situation I am, not because of the carrier but because their employer doesn't understand the lifetime savings potential.  Exclusion for this proven lifesaving tool is discriminatory for those of us who are morbidly obese.  Denying coverage by mandating an exclusion is certainly not an option either.  If I were to go with mandating an exclusion or mandating coverage, I would certainly go with the latter.  Sorry, while I understand on one hand.  On the other I don't think a mandate on this issue wouldn't be such a bad idea, since overall the cost of treatment for an obese patient overtime is higher than the treatment of someone who undergoes this sugery.  I think even mandating coverage for those that meet certain criteria, rather than a blanket mandate would be an option too. But what do I know. Maybe I'm wrong.  :) All I know is that the only way I will have this surgery is if my insurance will pay for it.  And I don't think I should have to look for a job who has insurance who covers this surgery, just because my health plan doesn't, especially when I have a decent job that I like and prefer staying at. Chad