Oprah/Moore - "Sicko" will this documentary help us get attn for ADR Ins Coverage?

[LBP]

Okay everyone, this may be the time to email Oprah about our coverage issues. Oprah has a link asking for people to email her about our health insurance woes. See http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200706/tows_past_20070605_b.jhtml


BUT DON'T STOP THERE....

Harrison has helped this movement by agreeing to gather our stories under a closed thread "True Stories from Patient Insurance Nightmares"


You can send your story to Harrison at, info@adrsupport.org

Keep it short and simple but relate it to your ADR experience and US health insurance denial/fight for coverage. why did you end up going to Germany...how was that experience. If you cant get surgery because you were denied...how has that affected your life. If you payed out of pocket because of an insurance denial....how much better are you after getting your surgery.

As Harrison stated, WE can also use a link to these stories in letters/emails we send to local news organizations/congressional representatives. Harrison is seeking out national venues...but we can help by going to local media and our representatives.

For those who may not know about this new documentary...don't feel bad, it's not released yet, but when it is...go see it! You might not agree with Michael Moore's politics, tactics, or past documentaries, but this latest one "SICKO" relates to us all. If you have or had health insurance that refused to cover your ADR surgery...then this movie/documentary is about you! This movie is about how we think we have health insurance but when something happens and we need them...they find ways to save money by not covering medically necessary tests and procedures.

This documentary is gaining national regconition by every major news media, and people of influence, regardless of being a Republican or Democrat. There have been interviews and stories everywhere, Bill Maher, Lou Dobbs, Fox News, Nightline, Oprah, etc.

I just happened to see Moore on Oprah and Oprah has asked for people to send her stories about Health Insurance experiences.

The only people that will HATE his movie are CEOs in the insurance industry.

One very controversial thing he does in this movie is take several 911 emergency response people with health issues and takes them on a boat to Cuba...actually he tries to take them to Guantanamo Bay's military prision because that's were President Bush has bragged about suspected terrorist retainees receiving top notch health care. Moore's boat of people were not allowed into the American Base at Cuba and so they went to Cuba and got better care than these 911 emergency helpers have gotten at home. Now Moore is under investigation for allegedly breaking laws for traveling to Cuba.

The other controversial theme is Moore's proposed solution of having socialized medicine and he goes to Canada and France and other places to compare our system to theirs. He is opening a dialogue about our broken health care system.

People are listening and that's why this is a perfect time to speak up! We can argue over policy later. Get your story out NOW!!!!


See: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,273875,00.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1119539820070611

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Moore_3500_troops_could_be_alive_0613.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6672515.stm

http://www.slashfilm.com/2007/06/07/video-michael-moore...ko-footage-on-oprah/ (http://www.slashfilm.com/2007/06/07/video-michael-moore-debuts-new-sicko-footage-on-oprah/)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JjPBwHDhLA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_QoffvYQpw

[tmont]

The other controversial theme is Moore's proposed solution of having socialized medicine and he goes to Canada and France and other places to compare our system to theirs. He is opening a dialogue about our broken health care system.


I've written twice to explain my 18 year experience with France's health care system as a mom of 3, a spine patient, and a medical research assistant. I wholeheartedly agree that some form of socialized medicine is the answer for the US. I pray that every American can one day recieve the kind of care my family and I get. Not perfect, but meets our needs!!

Attacking this problem form all angles is what's needed. So get out there with your story, everyone. Complacency and defeatism are not the solutions (someone put these threads to music so we can feel really inspired, lol)! http://adrsupport.org/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[LBP]

Someone just reminded me of another health insurance problem. Aside from the big issue of getting coverage....what something costs and how much will the insurance cover are big secrets!!!!

It's virtually impossible to get a treater to tell you how much something is because they are waiting to see how much the insurer will cover...and the insurance company won't tell you how much they will cover because they are all waiting for a price...but no one discloses this information to the patient....and you never know these amounts until after you have the procedure...so there is no way to plan and budget for things until you've experienced already.

Also, that "reduction" amount before insurance pays is way tooooo slippy and arbitrary.

[LBP]

Another health insurance problem I've noticed...is that you can never find out what insurance a new employer will offer until after you've accepted a job.

anyone should be able to find out what health insurance a company is offering by looking at their website if they have one, or by calling the State Ins Dept or an Insurance Company. There is no reason to keep this information a secret.

[LBP]

It's not too late to keep sending your stories to Harrison. info@adrsupport.org Wouldn't hurt to also send them directly to oprah's link (first post above)

the documentary "Sicko" hasn't even been released yet. It's scheduled for release today, 6/22/07.

Hopefully this issue will be in the media for a long time, through the 2008 election!

If you see the movie..would love to hear comments. Hope it motivates you guys!