Hey wake up Missouri

Hello everyone ! wake up this beautiful day. looks like rain and we sure do need it. Bull Shoals lake is down so low that I swear it looks like you can almost walk across it in places. Really cant but it is very very low. Just about the only thing left is the river stream. Rain is forcast and I sure do hope so. We have had such a small amount this winter. Well if no one has responded to writing to our senators and congressment about this certification of hospitals for medicare please do so please. Even if you arent old enough for Medicare or not on it please help out the ones of us that are. They gave us hope on one hand and took away with the other. Please help out all you can it doesnt take but a moment to write a short note to them saying that they need to give the hospitals a waiver untill they can get certified . Medicare sprung this on them at the last minute and gave them no chance whatso ever to get certified. Thanks to all Jan

Thanks Jan for keeping this out in front of the people so they will write. I certainly am and even tho I was one who got it done right before the cut off, I will continue to fight for those who still need it done. Yes, we are hoping for rain too. Colette

Who do we need to email specifically and what exactly do I need to say to make an impact ? Is there a place I can go online to better understand the stipulation they have placed ? I am assuming that if a hospital was not certified before the they stipulation was put into place that getting certified later doesn't count? That doesn't make sense-hospitals should be able to go ahead and comply and then be eligible to service these patients. I would be happy to do everything I can to help make this happen for you and anyone-including myself. The Senators are going to realize that we are a force to be reckoned with.Between this issue and SB 597 maybe they will sit up and take notice that we won't be treated unfairly and take it ! Dannielle

ok here is the medicare web site that has the new ruling on wls. it is www.cms.hhs.gov/mcd/viewdecisionmemo.asp?ID=160 also see in in the forums below mine Lisa Owens statements she has the listings of our senators and congressment and she makes some good points to include with your letter to them. The hospitals that werent certified before will get certified eventually but can you imagine how long that is going to take for all of them to be certified? It shouldnt have been put in there without giving thenm a notice that they would have to do that but they did. So now we still have to sit and wait for the hospitals to get certified to be able to have the surgery and it isnt something that will make them any better it is just some paper work and they have to pay about 15,000.00 each to get the certification. More money in someones pocket while we are the ones that have to wait untill goverment moves.

Hey quick question ... Does medicaid cover the surgery? Got a friend who wants to try this and she asked me.. thought I would ask around and see if anyone else might know... thanks sharl

Sharl I dont know if Medicaid covers it or not but Im sure it does since Medicare does now ...Medicare just wants us to have it done in a center of Excellence. Dont know what Medicaids requirements are. But I know that some people have had it done thru medicaid im sure. Jan