URGENT - WLS Insurance Coverage.

I just received this from my nurse corrdinator at my surgeon's office.  Please do your part and write letters, pass this on, etc.:

Hello all,
There is a very dangerous precident that is getting ready to take place.
Gov. Kaine has taken bariatric surgery off the Virginia State Employees benefit plan.
This will go into effect 7/1/09 and can affect ALL of you directly or indirectly.

First, all state employees will no longer have any coverage for bariatric surgery.  Our experience has been that when there is no coverage, this means NOTHING related to bariatric surgery will be covered:
        complications
        hernia surgery
        lap banding adjustments
        complications related to lap banding
        anything that can be attributed to bariatric surgery.

The danger in this is that it can trickle down to Medicaid and other health care plans, including your's.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!

Please contact your legislator, as well as Gov Kaine's office and let them know how bariatric surgery has changed your life!
Specifically, let them know how surgery has improved your health, decreased time off from work due to illness related to your previous obesity, increased production, and made you an overall healthier & more productive employee/citizen.
Encourage them to find other ways to cut the budget.  This is not fair or cost-effective and we need to fight to keep them from passing this change.

If you are a state employee, please contact the human resource director as soon as possible to express your concern.
The human resource director for the state does NOT support bariatric surgery, so this has become an easy item for them to 'scratch off their list'.

Again, even if you don't have the state health care plan, this could have far-reaching ramifications on you too, as other employers will likely follow suit and cut bariatric benefits.
Help us do everything we can to protect those who need this life-saving surgery!

Below is a list of some delegates who are being visited today and Monday by some bariatric surgeons/team members.
You should also include your delegate.
Don't let discrimination against the obese continue!
Jill

Delegate Clarke Hogan http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/a2f5951900d28c0d8525738a00664b71/a19a0a932d8af00d8525738a0052b645?OpenDocument

Delegate Phil Hamilton http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/b7374dd058c75daa85256c2a005293d6/d9700796f3b84d948525753500577405?OpenDocument

Chief of Staff Wayne Turnage http://www.governor.virginia.gov/virginiagovernment/TurnageBio.cfm  his email is [email protected]

Senator Edward Houck http://sov.state.va.us/SenatorDB.nsf/1ce7137978ff518185256c05006134f1/6c7cd381de08dcfc85256aa00071996f?OpenDocument

Senator Richard Saslaw http://sov.state.va.us/SenatorDB.nsf/b0d42045174abbb085256fc7004febad/fa719e196928fb0c85256aa00071999d?OpenDocument

Delegate John O'Bannon http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/014f2f536999a31885256c0d005171db/2883f19eab90804b8525738a0052b65a?OpenDocument

Delegate Phil Hamilton http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/cd9a628e9659025d85256c2900524ab1/a23e24ca048df468852570d2005e9eb6?OpenDocument

Wow--that's so messed up! Thanks for posting this.

I am passing this on too Lauren.

thank you. I just read poster above.