Who Will Make Insurance Companies Happy?

With the 2012 Presidential election just a little over a week away I can't help but wonder the fate of the Affordable Care Act.  I also can't help but wonder who some of the heavy hitting health insurance companies are hoping will win.

I read an interesting article today:

(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/28/insurers-nervous-obamacare-repeal-romney_n_2033580.html?utm_hp_ref=business)

The article began by saying the health insurance companies are afraid of a Romney win because he has guaranteed to overturn the law--without saying how. The fear is the insurance industry would lose the potential profits to be made from the individual mandate.  Along with the fear of not knowing what a Romney administration would do with health care because there has been no plan laid out for when they pursue repeal.


However, I can only imagine the uncertainty of an Obama win. Keep in mind the health insurance industry was not happy about this new law, they found ways to work with it, but they weren't fans.

I think deep down the industry, and most of us understand

This law is not in its final form. It is a starting point.

There's no putting the genie back in the lamp. Health Care IS a topic that will be addressed and addressed again over these next several years.

For now we all must vote for who we believe will do the best with our country and then sit and wait to see what will happen. If I were to guess, I don't think the health insurance market is too eager for either candidate to win this election. Their situation is on shaky ground.

The Book is Now Available on Kindle!

Big News!

As of this week, The Malformation of Health Care is now also a book! 

If you have enjoyed reading this blog so far, I encourage you to learn more by downloading the Kindle version via Amazon.

Here's the link:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Malformation-Health-Care-ebook/dp/B009V37CXU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351105974&sr=8-1&keywords=the+malformation+of+health+care

Feel free to share it with anyone you think may be interested in delving more into a discussion about our current American health care system.

Thank you for your continued support!

On A Personal Note

Many of you know that there are four states (Washington, Maryland, Maine, and Minnesota) that have referendums or initiatives on the election ballot for November regarding equality. 

I usually keep this blog relatively specific to the public situations of health care. 

This year has been a real journey for me, however. 

I think I've been afraid to speak up about my sexuality and spirituality where backlash was potential, for a long time. Speaking about my health care journey at the Seattle Women's Choir Equality rallies and shows was easy because the supporters outnum

bered anyone who might disagree. 

Playing my music at GLBT affirming clubs and churches was never a problem, because everyone understood. This year particularly I've had to make some choices. I was conflicted about discussing sexuality and spirituality in my book about health care, even though both are huge parts of my life. I ultimately decided I needed to be honest and tell it all. I'm not ashamed to be a spiritual, faithful, believer in God. It's not a contradiction to love and believe. This year has been filled with baby steps that I didn't even realize I needed to take.

I thought I was "out" but I was only "safely out." Sometimes we have to speak up even when we're uncomfortable, even if we're scared--- because the only way things can be better for all people is when individuals come forward and tell the truth. Domestic Partnerships are separate and not equal in health care and many other ways. I know this, not from research, but from my own life and the lives of my friends.

These votes are not about my relationship. They are about all relationships. It's hard to know what life would be like to not have to fight for something like this. It's hard to know what it would feel like to not have groups dedicated to making sure others look at me as an abomination. It's hard to know what it would be like to meet someone, fall in love, and simply start planning a wedding with no legal barriers.

I'm less thinking about myself and more thinking about the children who come after me. Wouldn't it be nice if they never had to feel like their love was "less than." Wouldn't it be nice if everyone understood that God is love, and therefore real love, can never be "less than".

Link to my speech about Health Care and Referendum 74

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au-dXE7L6jQ

Link to something else that touches my heart:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVBg7_08n0&feature=share

The Power of Your Words: Phonebanking

We aren't all lucky enough to find a public platform to share our personal experiences with large audiences.... however...

This week has been eye opening for me.

I've been blessed several times this past month to talk a bit about my health care journey in conjunction with the Seattle Women's Chorus during some of their performances. Due to this exposure, I've been freely given the immediate feedback of kind faces, and gentle hands placed on my arm as soft words thanked me for my courage to speak up.

I like face to face interactions. I like the power they have. I like the energy in the room.

Then last night a friend told me a story about phonebanking.

I will 100% admit I'm uncomfortable with phonebanking. Despite the good I've been told it does, I've always looked at it similarly to telemarketing---which actually caused me to disconnect my house phone awhile back.

I'm bugged when I get political phone calls on my cell phone where someone asks me if I have time to talk and then asks me one question. When I answer the question in a way they weren't hoping for, they don't continue the dialogue they simply say thank you and hang up. What is the point of that?

A little background before I begin the story:

My friend now lives in a wonderfully diverse urban setting. Her entire family, however, lives in small town rural America. From the stories she's told me, many of that family just simply hasn't been exposed to as much of the diversity that my friend has, and this has caused frustration, confusion, and even all out angry fights.

There is nothing wrong with these people. There is nothing evil about these people. There is nothing hateful about these people. It is simply a matter of exposure. When you never meet an actual person that falls into a category others tend to criticize, how would you know anything other than the critical words?

As my friend was at work on Friday she received a phone call from her mother saying she had made a decision to support a local referendum. A referendum my friend was certain would not be supported by anyone in her family. This, quite frankly, FLOORED my friend.

She immediately called her mother to find out what had changed.

Turns out, another small town community member was a part of phone bank that day and happened to be the one who called my friend's mom. He was polite and genuine and simply had a heartfelt discussion with this woman.

After the call ended, my friend's mom changed her mind on the referendum... because she took the time to really think about her vote. She realized how much power her vote had in the lives of "others" she's never even met.

While I am glad to be able to share my story with the crowds of people I've spoken to, I've really had more of a "preaching to the choir" effect. The people in the audiences do have reach to others, but mostly those listening already understand my point of view.

This one phone banking person, on the other hand,  was able to reach the unreachable.....

now that's saying something.

Saying Thank You!!!!

This is not your average blog post.

When you are passionate about a project and you have no idea how to accomplish it, you "get by with a little help from your friends," as the Beatles song says. 

I am so incredibly thankful to everyone who is helping me achieve my goals.

 Today however, I wanted to give a shout out to a very special group who helped me along the road these past couple months.

Special Thanks to:

Anna Koopman

Cordae Wright
Matt and Colleen Fuller

Laney Williams

Carol Zaura

Joshua Caniford

Sean McLaughlin

Dayna Sweders

Brigette Menoni Brankin

Linda Stanley

Bobbie C.De Baca

Mary Jo Braun

Jon Grigalunas

Katie Vadnais

Cathy

andrew rasmussen

Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers

Mori Marchany

Amy Petersen

Aaron Cassara

Jill Sunderbruch

I-Wei Feng

Kate Wehr

Cheryl Jacobs

Shari Rosner

Lauri Boren

Rosemarie Coy

Nicole Simon-Burton

Tim Bruhn

Diana Roger

Beverly Lippe Terlep

Peg Pedersen
Betty DeBace

Jane Healy Brown

RIchard Hein

Khanh Doan

Leslie McQuade

Chad Jessup

Elaine A. THEUS

Anthony Elizondo

Justin Kreitzburg

Travis Mccauley

Kathleen Wake

Stephanie Nguyen

Joleen Schultz

Amber McGuire Lemar

Sue Kolasinski

Jessie Oettinger

Carrie Walsh Engberg

Thomas Dunham

Nicole DeBace-Rech

Justin Ozuna

Judith L. Miller

Ande Harwood

Martha Plummer

Jennie Gustafson

Katrina Lehto

Betsy Bruce

martha Luna

Anna Bevens

Tiki Naccarato

Jody Mayer

Daniel Rech

Jacinthe Assaad

Cassandra Brackmann

Elizabeth Granger

Carol Baker

Caro Horsfall

Duane Cuthrell

Darbie Whitman

Mary Jo Weaver Larson

Julia Colson

Matthew Browning

Claire Mouflard

Jenni Thibedeau Redman

Ruthy Lewis

Kathryn Doane

Jane Maranhas Kruse

Emily Sharp

 Nancy Balderas

Ric Firmino

Joel Duldulao Agpaoa

Peggy Gilmer

Nancy Bent

Mary Jelinek

Brian George Kerr

Selina Emlen

Kory Riley

Cheryl Cristello

Geneva Harwood

Eric Larson

Scott Welch

Bruce and Mary Claire Havel

Denial Because...

I couldn't make this letter up if I wanted to. Therefore, I decided to post it for you.

If you read the letter you will see that the insurance company will not pay for the prior authorized visit to a doctor I went to "because"

Sincerely,

Claims Department

That's right, they didn't say why, they just said "because."

It's okay to laugh. I did after I got over the shock of getting a denial letter for a prior authorized appointment.

The company is based in Florida and if this was my first rodeo with an insurance company in Florida I might think "oops, someone sent this by mistake." However, attached to this notice of denial is also my EOB (explanation of benefits) reiterating the fact that my insurance company (that I faithfully pay every month) will indeed not cover this appointment they authorized me to go to.

The truth of the matter is Florida has lax regulations on insurance companies. They're not the only state with these lax regulations, but you have to question why so many of these companies avoiding their obligations are based in certain states and not in others.

In general American's don't like "regulations"--- there is a fear that "regulations" will lead to a communist system. I think that's a bit of extreme thinking and there is no way our country would move briskly to a non-capitalist society based on regulations for companies who are clearly not working for the best interest of their consumers.

All regulation means (in this case) is the loopholes, games, and tricks these companies play to gain the most profits based on denying coverage would be accountable to review. I personally think that would only improve our health care system.

Or maybe we will all begin to accept letters without question that say "We will not cover your care, because."

Political Platform to Prevent Coverage

I don't know if you all saw the story of Jackie Curtiss, the 22 year old Republican who voiced her concern over the new party platform on abortion.

(http://www.buzzfeed.com/zekejmiller/meet-the-22-year-old-young-republican-who-challeng)

Here's what that article says:

"Curtiss made waves in the committee when she objected to an amendment to the platform banning medication "that terminates human life after conception." The amendment was aimed at RU-486 and other so-called “abortion pills," but Curtiss warned that it could potentially include the “morning after pill.”

"Nevertheless, the amendment passed and found its way into the party’s 2012 manifesto."

That is one slippery slope folks...

The reason I'm raising concern is not because I'm anti-Republican or because I'm voicing judgement on abortion at all-- but rather because I am pro- life for people who have cancer, RA, and other major illness.

Most chemotherapy medications have warnings that state women may experience spontaneous abortion while taking the medication.

This platform doesn't differentiate between drugs, it just bans all medication that "terminates human life after conception."

I understand what the Republican Party is trying to get at, but if we aren't incredibly clear when we document our ideas unintentional problems can and will arise.