Please send this article to your State Senator and Congressman/woman

http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/04/05/bil20405.htm Hi, everyone, it only takes a minute to send a quick email to your State Senator and Congressman. Their addresses are easy to find online. Please ask them to get involved. Corporation fat cats are governing who gets healthcare and who doesn't. That's not right. I've been seeking insurance approval since March of 2004 and even though I meet the criteria and I have a letter from my lawyer and my pcp that I do in fact meet all of the criteria...they still deny me (BCBS of Illinois). Please...I beg of you to pass the message on.

Excellent article. And it brought up something I've been saying for the longest time and exactly the example I've used to demonstrate it. Namely, can anyone even imagine what a commotion it would cause if insurance companies ever flat out said, "Well, too many of you are having heart bypass surgeries. It's cuttin' into our bottom line so we're gonna discontinue coverage. You can just pay for it your own self if you really want it." There'd be an immediate hew and cry and that decision would get thrown out. But with the obese, underlying societal prejudices allow them to do the unthinkable - tell somebody flat out that the bottom line is more important than their life! - with hardly any notice of the inhumanity of it all by society at large. I found it also interesting that Blue Cross Florida has not only cut out it's coverage of WLS surgery, but doesn't cover ANYTHING having to do with weight loss, from counseling to pills or physical fitness programs.....just incredible. - Stephanie J

Hi, Stephanie, I agree...it's absolute obscene the things the insurance companies and employers are allowed to do. It's time the people spoke out. I am posting this on every state's message board and hopefully we can be heard. I'm tired of being judged simply because I'm obese.

Great article! Thanks for sharing! Yeah, so many people think of this surgery as "cosmetic" or "cop out". They don't think of it as a life-saving surgery. Having this surgery is definitely not the "easy way out". My gosh, is it not! I used to be one of those ones that thought it was the easy way out - boy was I wrong. I just don't get how insurance companies can DENY people when they meet ALL the qualifications listed on the policy. How do they get away with that? Thanks for posting this article and trust me, I'll be passing this on to not only our Senators and Congressmans but also others to pass on as well. Thanks! Trisha in Phoenix