Question:
What would you say if a politician could help you?
Hi Friends! It's me again, your trusty pest, continuing to ask you for info that will aid in my lobbying the government on a local, state and national level to eliminate obesity discrimination AND to make insurance coverage for surgical weight loss a mandatory benefit. Even though I'm in Alabama I am working to lobby all 50 states. It's pay it forward time..........can you please, please help me by answering this question. If you could sit face to face with anyone in power and make a difference.....what would you say to them about WLS and how it will change or has changed your life? — ronascott (posted on July 1, 2004)
July 1, 2004
I know for me it will cost less in the long run cause I had diabetes and
its gone now. my BP is normal my labs have been perfect. its been a year
and a half since surgery. so those meds are not not needed every month.
plus the fact of supplies for testing. and early death, loss of limbs that
all can follow someone with diabetes. heart attack risk and surgery there.
its almost a preventive thing. its also a fix for a lot of people. but ins.
hate doing preventive stuff. its stupid but thats all I have to give you.
it makes sence to do the surgery. best thing I ever did for myself.
— Joan W.
July 1, 2004
I would tell him on a personal side that it has restore my quality of life
that should be afforded to all human beings. On a medical note, my knees
and feet don't hurt anymore, and I am healthy, thus requiring less medical
maintenance!
— ScottieB86
July 1, 2004
http://www.petitiononline.com/07221976/petition.html
— Michelle R.
July 1, 2004
It's restored my self-esteem! When I weighed 300 pounds, I went on vacation
to Martha's Vineyard. I expected the weather to be hot, but it was
freezing! I had to freeze the entire weekend simply because I couldn't buy
a sweatshirt to fit me. I was uncomfortable and depressed. This is just one
example of how society forgets about us.
— Yolanda J.
July 1, 2004
I would say 'thank you'. Unfortuantely the word politician has such a bad
connotation in our society that I wouldn't count on it.
— Cathy S.
July 1, 2004
What can you say? That it no longer to hurts to get out of bed, that we
refinanced our home and I went to Mexico to have this surgery because I
wanted to live again! I wasn't as heavy as some of the people on here, but
I could hardly move. I have arthritis in my joints and while I still have
pain, it is better. That I can now walk without pain killers, that I am NOT
costing the insurance companies monies that denied me this surgery the
medications that I have needed to live on for the past 10 years. That
everyone deserves the chance to feel this good again! LeeAnn
— doglover
July 1, 2004
I would say that I am a young mother and I am unable to run after my 15
months old without getting out of breath. I fear everytime we go outside
that she will dart for the road and I won't be able to get there fast
enough. My insurance company has an exclusion regarding gastric bypass and
when I went to a private company to obtain insurance, they told me there
were weight restrictions. You have to weigh less than 180 for my height.
I would think that if that were the case there would be no need for
coverage of WLS because I wouldn't be morbidly obese. (DUH!)
I wish that for one day you could walk a mile in any person's shoes that
was morbidly obese and you would see how difficult it is to walk, breath,
and be looked at like you are lazy in every aspect of life.
Well, you asked for a comment. Sorry if I over did it a little. I guess I
have a lot of frustration with my situation and others. I also live in AL,
let me know if I can help further.
— Mandy L.
July 1, 2004
Rona~keep up the fight girl! I would say that the long-term costs of
obesity will bankrupt this country. It will bankrupt medicare/medicaid too.
When heart by-pass surgery became available, there was a medical
celebration. With gastric by-pass, there should be a medical celebration
too. Obesity affects more and more people everyday. The long-term success
rate, coupled with the short-term success rate, will speak volumes if the
correct studies are done and the right lobby group gets behind WLS.
Personally, I was mentally consumed with my weight and with food. I don't
think that my situation was unique. I tried dozens of diets and have lost
hundreds of pounds in my lifetime. I also spent thousands of dollars on
different diets, thus supporting a billion-dollar industry. (Gee, could
that industry NOT be supporting WLS and lobbying to that affect?) While
married, with 2 step-kids, my consuming interest was with food and my
weight and my misery. There wasn't much room left for much more. Now my
life is filled with yardwork, gardening, housework, husband, kids, family,
exercise, eating healthy and staying on top of it all. I was literally
released from my OWN self-made prison. I would dare anyone to walk around
with 170 pounds of fat on them and not feel oppressed and depressed. That
there is a potential solution to this that is NOT being fully supported by
both the medical and insurance communities (due to that damn almighty
buck)is downright fraudulent and borderline sadistic. Obese people make up
the majority in this country but we have no voice. We have only shame
apparently. Well, due to people like you, Rona, there are some voices being
raised. We need to ALL be yelling, just like in Seuss' "Horton Hears a
Who". Jodie Lap RNY 05-02-03 336/166/??? 14months, down 170lbs
— Jodie P.
July 2, 2004
I know what I would say... that it saved my life and gave my kids back
their Mom. However, should the insurance companies be forced to pay for
surgery for those people who aren't compliant? The ones that intentionally
eat around the surgery? I've heard people discuss how to eat candy bars by
just eating a little at a time all day. If we make it mandatory for
insurance to cover this surgery, we should make it mandatory that post-ops
follow a reasonable program.
— mom2jtx3
July 2, 2004
I have been helped by all the reasons below. I agree with all the posters
below. I do agree the MOST with Linda B. though. WLS has increased my self
esteem by 200%. I can walk pain free and can stand all day now, to teach my
little second grade students. There are so many positives, I could go on
and on and on. God Bless your research and the effort you are putting forth
for us MO persons. We do matter afterall!!! Thanks a big bunch. Good luck.
Take care, Kathy Riffle...open RNY...June 23, 2003...-115 pounds...
T/T...June 21,2004...Superb life and full of self esteem.
— Kathy R.
July 2, 2004
I am a much more productive member of society since WLS.
— [Deactivated Member]
July 2, 2004
I would ask the congressperson to fund research into WLS, especially the
long term benefits by doing a cost analysis. I think if you look at the
long term costs of treating obesity (diabetes, heart problems, sleep apnea,
hospitalizations, tests etc) and the costs of the surgery, you may find its
less costly to have the surgery and it's results. But without those long
term studies to prove this, its hard to force the insurance companies to
pay.
— Cindy R.
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