URGENT!!! Calling all GEORGIA OH members!!!

Georgia's Legislature is in SESSION. Representative Nikki Randall from Macon has reintroduced a bill that would mandate insurance companies to give Obesity the same consideration as any other disease, including insurance coverage for WLS surgery. House Bill 43 is stuck in the Insurance Committee designated for a 2nd Reading. www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005_06/fulltext/hb43.htm Please take a minute of your time and write to Ms. Randall a letter/E-mail of support and to your own Representative encouraging support of this bill. It also might help to write/E-mail the members of the Insurance Committee to urge the bill along to the floor for a "YEA" vote. If you do not know who your Representative is, you can go to: www.legis.state.ga.us Let's get busy and let our Representatives know where we stand on this issue. There are so many out there needing help and can not get it because of insurance exclusions. Thanks for your support, Paulette C. Douglasville, GA

Already done. THANK YOU for the reminding of the bill. Crece

Crece, hi! I knew YOU were already on this. In all honesty, it was because of YOU and Ross (from the Wings group daily digest) that I was first made aware of HB43. I was just so surprised when I visited OH that I didn't see anything in the Georgia Messsage Board about it. Thanks so much for making me aware. I've written to my own Representative and to Nikki Randall along with all the other supporters of the bill. But, most important (I think) is that I've written to each of the Insurance Committee members (where HB43 is currently stuck.) I placed a document on the WINGS Group site under FILES in the menu, giving the names and e-mail addresses of all the committee members. If you have time, or IF you haven't already done so, please also write these committee members, as well. BTW.... That Keene fellow Ross wrote of who's against the bill is on the Insurance Committee. sorry for being so wordy. I just got carried away. Again thanks for making me aware. Paulette C.

They re-introduced the bill on Monday I do beleive. Keep up the constant posting as it will greatly affect the preops. Crece

Thanks for the information. Below is the letter I sent. Ms. Randall, Thanks for introducing House Bill 43. This is a very important bill for many Georgians. I had gastric bypass last week. I feel this surgery has given me a new lease on life. I am already seeing an improvement in my health. I am no longer taking insulin for my diabetes. Also, my doctor has stated that I will probably be off all my medication in a few months. Although, my insurance is covering the surgery, it was not easy to get my final approval. I was pre-certified last November with surgery scheduled for January 18, 2005. However, the last week in December I was informed by my insurance company they would not cover the surgery because they were excluding it January 1, 2005. After many phone calls and conversations, I finally contacted my Human Resources Manager at work. He called the Benefits Manager of the company I work for. After investigation the Benefits Manager finally approved it based on the fact that I was pre-certified last November. Morbid Obesity is a disease which is not recognized by everyone. It is about time it is. Many companies are dropping this coverage. Some say it is a big lifestyle change, and a lot of people are not committed to it. This may be true in some situations. Many surgery's require lifestyle changes, particularly having heart surgery. Does all heart patients that have surgery make a lifestyle change? Plus, morbid obesity can cause heart problems. Again, thanks for sponsoring this bill. It is great to know that we have someone like you in our state government that is committed to helping people that suffer from morbid obesity.

Michael, Thanks for your support. Now all we need to do is keep it rolling. Oh... And BTW... Great letter! Paulette C.