Question:
I was interested to know how many folks would sign an on-line petition?
My insurance company (United HealthCare of KY) and several others from posts I've read, continue to deny surgical treatment for morbid obesity in spite of medical neccessity per exclusion clauses. With a forum like this with some 9000 members, I think the Congress would be interested to see a petition from those of us who suffer from this condition calling for legislation prohibiting exclusions for the surgical treatment of morbid obesity. There are many post-op folks here who could attest to the success of this treatment in reducing comorbities and enhancing life. We all acknowledge that there are risks, but the risk of doing nothing far outweigh them (no pun intended)in my humble opinion. Of course personal letters to your US Representatives and Senators would be even better as letters tend to carry more weight than petitions per se. The optimum choice would be both letters and a petition. Please, please, please consider this small deed. This website is such a supportive, nurturing, and inspiring site, let's take it a step further and facilitate change bringing gastric bypass RNY surgery to the forefront. Thank you all for your consideration and for your action. Without works, faith is dead. — jeff P. (posted on April 28, 2000)
April 28, 2000
Dear Jeff,
I Would be interested in helping you in any way I can, and Also Signing
any petition, contacting people, setting things up, anything at this point
to get involved an make the change..Please feel free to contact me directly
for any help you would like...Sincerely Someone that is where you are...Ann
— Ann A.
April 28, 2000
I would be happy to sign and help in anyway that i could. My e-mail address
is posted on this site. You are right
we may be able to effect the change ourselves. We are ceriantly not alone,
and just think about the mass number of
Overweight(Morbidly)people that do not have computer access.
— Tamaria W.
April 28, 2000
Jeff, I would sign a petition. I think more and more insurance companies
are allowing this surgery, and that is a wonderful thing! Let me know what
I can do to help. God Bless You and your efforts!!!
— Pamela B.
April 28, 2000
To anyone intersted in helping with this, please send Senator (Dr.) Bill
Frist (R) TN an e-mail. Senator Frist is the Chairman of the Senate
Subcommittee on Public Health and the only physician presently occupying a
seat in the US Senate. He would be an excellent person to introduce such
legislation. His address is: <[email protected]> .
Thank you in advance for your help in bringing this to the forefront.
— jeff P.
April 29, 2000
WELL I SAY YOU GET YOUR PETITION GOING . I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SIGN
IT. BEST OF LICK TO YOU.
GO VOLS!!!!!!!!
— BRENDA N.
April 29, 2000
Absolutely, Jeff. Great idea.
— Margaret M.
April 29, 2000
If you would like to e-mail Bill Frist here is his address:
[email protected]
— Rebecca D.
April 29, 2000
Just let me know what it is that I need to do and it is as good as done. I
was one of the lucky ones that was approved with no trouble and would like
to see more of that in this area.
— S S.
April 29, 2000
Jeff.......YES, I would be more than happy to sign a petition! I am having
a difficult time trying to get approved myself. I have already emailed
Senator Frist, and State Rep. Doug Gunnels. I also wrote to Congressman
John Duncan, Jr. I am proud to say he wrote me back. I still haven't heard
from Frist or Gunnels but I am hoping I will soon. If you would like to
email me, Please do! Please let me know about signing a petition. I sure
will do what I can to help get these laws changed. I don't want anymore
people to go through what I have been through. I am still fighting to this
day! (it will be a year in Sept.) I know there is alot of people out there
that can't afford a lawyer (like me) and if we can get the laws to change
for the treatment of Morbid Obesity, then I will be glad to help in anyway
I can! Send the petition my way and I will sign it!
— Stacy P.
April 30, 2000
You can count me in. I will help in any way I can, just let me know. I
think we all need to speak up and make more people in our local, state
& federal governments aware that people who are morbid obesity have
rights to. The insurance companies and the governments do not care that we
are having our rights taken away, when they deny surgical treatment for
morbid obesity in spite of medical necessity. They are sentencing us to
death. Morbid obesity is a disease and most people think we want to be this
away but we do not. We can not go to the show with our children because we
can not set in the seats. When you go out to eat with friends you have to
ask for a chair that has no sides because you do not fit. This is
embarrassing for your family and friends because people always whisper and
stare. I had a medical emergency and the ambulance that picks me up does
not have a stretcher that I can fit on so I have to lay on my side for the
transport and they have to call more people to help get me in and out of
the ambulance. Then all the medical people stared and look when I was
brought in. It is very degrading, making me feel even worse.
Martha D.
[email protected]
— Martha D.
February 21, 2001
By all means! A petition is a great idea for showing solidarity in the
fight against narrow-minded, bureaucratic insurance companies that allow
people with little or no medical background decide the fate of their
enrollees. It should be nationwide, though, not just statewide. I would be
happy to sign a petition and know of many others who would too.
— Kathy B.
February 21, 2001
i would love to sign as, i am having same problem them saying it is not
covered under some exclusion through my insurance
— kelly H.
February 21, 2001
Jeff,
I am all for it.Great idea!Count me in.
— susan K.
February 21, 2001
Hey folks: I am happy to see a resurgence of what I believe to be a true
need among many obesity sufferors. I would be very happy to assist in
wording of an on-line petition, however, I know nothing of building a web
page. If some of you nice folks could help build a page, perhaps we could
start some movement in Washington DC. In the meantime, I DID change
insurors to BC/BS of TN PPO. I have an appointment with Dr. John Husted in
Nashville on 3/1. I am optomistic that things will go better this time
around. I also wanted to let all you folks know that my wife and I had our
first child on 2/9/01. He and she are doing great and I am a very proud
poppa! Having a newborn son really gives me even more initiative to get
this weight off. WLS is practically my ownly hope as diets do not work for
me in the long term. I can loose weight, but then I put it back on in
excess. Anywho, if anyone is interested in helping to build a page for an
on-line petition to Congress I would be most greatful. Thanks.
— jeff P.
February 22, 2001
I will definitely sign. We can also possibly recruit our friends and
family to sign. I'll email you with my thoughts and possible assistance.
:)
— kcanges
February 22, 2001
You BET I will sign.........anytime, anywhere!
— jane W.
February 22, 2001
Hi Jeff - I'd be happy to sign!!! I'd also be interested in starting a
petition in the State of Alabama. Keep me informed and let me know what I
can do for the cause!!!! Best wishes to you!!
— ronascott
February 23, 2001
Jeff, Count me in! Let me know if you need any help, I have lots of
research info that supports this surgery.
— Stephanie S.
February 24, 2001
yes, I would definetely sign a petition.
— Donna S. C.
June 7, 2001
Count me in!
— Lynda T.
June 7, 2001
Just wondering if anyone heard the new study that came out today which
stated that being obese causes more deaths than cancer, smoking, drugs and
accidents. Said that is is the number one cause of death in this country.
This was just on Good Morning America this morning! Might help with
whomever is doing a petition.
— Barbara H.
June 7, 2001
I would be happy to sign. When something is set up, we should be sure it
gets a lot of on-line publicity so their will be lots of opportunity for
people to sign. -Alicia
— Alicia V.
June 7, 2001
would love to sign, there's an artical in the Herald this am pertaining to
"Obesity" being more death causing than cancer, smoking, ect.
— XXX X.
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