Get Involved!

I have an exclusion in my insurance and was denied several months ago. I went the appeal route and even was denied by the external review board. I had already pre-paid my surgeon and the hospital, as my surgery was to be done months ago, but had to be rescheduled because of my own illness. During my wait, I've been doing lots of research on the Internet and decided to take Gary's advice from a section on his old web site, "Get Involved". I have gotten very involved and I urge each of you to do the same. I've written to congressmen on the state and national level, my state Insurance Commissioner, My State Budget and Control Board, my Governor, and many others. Believe it or not, I have gotten responses back from all but one of the people I have mailed---not necessarily good responses, but responses. I don't know how it is in other states, but here in South Carolina, the buck just keeps getting passed and nobody takes responsibility. I'm not stopping until I find where it stops. The Insurance Commisioner was one of the first to write back to tell me that his is a regulatory commission, and has no authority to change anything. Then I get letters back from the governor, the budget and control board and several congressmen telling me that they will contact the insurance commissioner on my behalf. Well, gee whiz! It just amazes me that all these congressmen, the governor and the budget and control board don't know that the insurance commissioner has no authority. What's the use in our taxpayer money paying his salary if he can't do anything? I personally think we could just do away with his job and his entire department. I'm now on my second round of letters with the congressmen, and will be branching out farther with each round of letters. I urge each of you to do the same. It won't help me get reimbursed for my surgery, but it will help many others down the road, and it could help some of you get the insurance approvals you need. We need to take a stand on this and provide a united front. Beth George, the comments you made in your post are all valid reasons for wanting this surgery, as I, too, am a registered nurse of 31 years. One important co-morbidity that you left off was diabetes and all the complications it has, such as diabetic neuropathy that leads to undetected sores, that turn into decubiti, which have to be debrided, and can possibly lead to amputation, which in turn causes the need for durable medical equipment, and the list just goes on. I would suggest that you add diabetes to your list and send the entire list to your congressmen and governor. On Gary's old site he had a link that included email addresses of all the congressmen. I used the email addresses of those I sent outside of my own state, but mailed actual letters to the ones in my state. I'm a long ways from having contacted all of the ones outside of my state, but I'll get it done. It's just that I need a little back up on this. PLEASE HELP! GET INVOLVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeannie, Great post. You are so right about getting involved. I did email the senate regarding this. I will be getting involved with local representatives and congressman also. I realized after I posted that I had left diabetes and all it's complications off. It seems that insurance companies would realize in the long run that they are saving money on all the complications and comorbidities that obesity causes. It is very sad that they are so prejudiced regarding obesity. They just don't seem to care. Keep me posted on any way that I may help. I work 3 12's a week right now..but I will answer when I am off work. Again, well said Jeannie. Beth George