"get active" debate over Moore documentary

[Harrison]

Interesting. We have many fireman, policeman and military in this community. For what it’s worth, one thing I’ve learned by talking to state and federal employees – and this just an observation – the “closer” you are to Uncle Sam as an employee, the more likely your ADR will be covered by insurance. Go figure.

The overwhelming majority of this patient population get better and go back on duty. I believe that this speaks volumes about health care policy, the quality and experience of surgeons, device efficacy and perhaps more.

Well, that is to say in the "Moore" sense.

[LBP]

you are attacking us not the other way around.

trust me it's not a CHOICE to wait for ins coverage. If there was any way possible to pay out of pocket I would. It is IMPOSSIBLE (unless you know how to grow a money tree) my injury has devastated my credit...not that I have to justify anything to you.

Stop being so judgmental and assuming people have the same choices/resources available as you...we all have different personal/family/finacial situations that enable or prevent us from getting this medical procedure.

I've had very civil conversations with other people who I privately messaged asking to get involved who have chosen not to because they don't like or agree with Moore's politics. I can respect the fact that you don't agree...but there's no need to sabatoge an effort by people who want to support this. If and when there comes a time to dissent against an actual political policy re socialized medicine....start your own campaign. Right now, my focus was to get people aware of an opportunity to help ourselves speak out for insurance coverage.

NO one else has gone overboard with the generalized attacks on Oprah, Moore, me or others posting on this forum. No one else is generating so much negativity and anger like you. I'm done...and I hope you are too because I don't want Harrison to have to shut down this thread.

Btw...this isn't the first time I sent out a ton of private messages to ask people to get involved. It's not just because of Oprah or Moore. When Medicare first announced it was considering a national ban on covering ADR for all medicare recipients...I got involved by doing the same thing as here. I asked people to send their ADR success stories as public comments to CMS. This is not about politics, it's about getting people of influence to put the pressure on insurance companies to cover this dam procedure!!!!!!!!!!!! If Medicare banned ADR entirely it could be a huge setback for the rest of us since Medicare policies influence private health insurance policy. And if you didn't know, the initial pre-decision was to ban ADR..but after overwhelming public comments/responses supporting ADR, Medicare only banned it for the population not included in the ADR clinical trials.

For those who care about helping everyone get access to ADR...we have to take advantage of every opportunity to be heard, and take advantage of every opportunity to inform decision makers and people of influence what our experiences have been.

Everyone who needs an ADR should be entitled to get it. If I pay insurance premiums....my ins co should pay for it once it's FDA approved. Getting your ins to pay for an FDA approved procedure isn't like asking for a hand out. Gimme a break.

[ZorroSF]

Michael Moore interviewed on Nightline



Nighltine Interview Part 1


Nightline Interview Part2

[Julaine]

That was a bit harsh, saying we think we deserve what we want but want someone else to pay for it. well heck yes, they should pay for it. my DH and i had a company, and yet got denied for surgeries and so forth, we are forced to pay taxes to pay for medical to the *less fortunate* and yet we can;t get decent health insurance cover to pay for a medically necessary surgery that many drs say is needed yet their payed doctors get kick backs to deny without taking time to review our case or even speaek with us personally. so in the meantime we are punished and put in a high tax bracket to pay for losers that pop out babies let and right , not wanting to work, then I get denied disabiliby cause we make to much. these people drive nicer cars that I do, they get dental coverage medical coverage, and the hardwarking people who go to college and get a good living are punished. It would be nice to go to germany and get the surgery but thwere on earth are these peole suppost to get the money?

Originally posted by davidj8121:
LBP,

The only reason I even got involved in this whole thing is because you sent me a PM asking me to "Get Active". Now I am active,I just disagree. You think you "DESERVE" what you want but you just want someone else to pay for it. Most, not all, on this board paid for their own surgery. It's your choice to wait until it's paid for, I couldn't. So I was forced to pay for it myself. It was a hardship for my family. But we "chose" not to wait.

This debate is not the purpose of the board. We are way off track. If being contructive means going with the flow, Count me out.

Any more attacks, please PM me. I'm out. It's a disservice to everyone else here.

DJ

[ZorroSF]

that was an interesting take and kind of hard to deny.

the working person pays a lot of money and ends up getting screwed while those who don't have the means get decent healthcare. I'd be really interested to see some hard statistics. I wonder if this is the contention behind much of the american attitude of self service gov't?

[ZorroSF]

more typical republican inference...

as usual "You" "Them" are not paying attention. the point of the film is to reveal the scams that insurance companies pull on "You" "Them".

"You" "Them" pay thousands and thousands of dollars for insurance each year and are denied medically necessary healthcare. F*^# "Them" attitudes are the reason we're in Iraq and the reason the middle class is closer and closer to the poverty line every year.

FYI, I have worked my *** off since I was 10yrs! this explains my busted back.


You're me! me! me! attitude is the reason these companies get away with illegal scams and murder.

[Harrison]

Sigh.

Alas, even though we have so much in common, our differences of opinions have become a divisive force. As I re-read this topic, I read good points that each of you has made, but there are several comments that are concerning.

I’m not sure this is the kind of topic that I want to share with the media, but as I mentioned earlier, it has and will continue to be shared with people who have the potential to make a difference. I’ve already emailed/call Oprah, The New York Times and ABC…and I am just getting going!

Let’s refrain from personal attacks and get back on track. I HATE to close an important topic or delete replies, though it may be explained by the editorial rules of the community (terms of service, see below).

OK, let me try some judo. Can I try to slingshot some of this energy into constructive movement for our cause?

1. For those of you that want to continue the debate, I can create a separate, PRIVATE discussion just for you. I can even mediate if you want; just let me know if you would like to continue the arguments in a less public environment…rather than here.

2. I need help getting the message out! I need specific contacts with emails/phone numbers. Have any of you emailed your senators or your local reporters!? Every one can help here!

3. If you don’t have the specifics, but even just have a few ideas about getting the message out, please do share them here or by email.

Thanks for caring and helping us move in the the right direction.

[ZorroSF]

how about viral marketing?

why not get someone with a webcam to upload a short video to youtube about ADR and how it's being refused coverage. We can all respond critically or positively on their website instead of here.

Sorry, but I dont' have a webcam.

[Julaine]

I would love to pay for surgery,except we have to pay a butt load of taxes. my daughter has a severe mental illness that we have to pay for her to be ina residential treatment facility that costs 80 grand a year. we must do this cause if we didnt social services would take her away from us due to i have two other children in my home, and they would say we are not protecting our chioldrenand take them all away, it was either get her help or put her in a foster care, we have insurance for her yet they will not pay for her to get treatment, i am sick of this country handing out money to illegals, getting top care, it is disgusting. i just met a girl the other day at my nail salon who told me she has medi-cal and blue cross just paid for her to have a 3 disc replacment through dr delamarter. so basically us hard working tax payers either ourselves or husbands pay for these people who dont stop having babies and live off the government and yet get top quality treatment. medical and dental, i have to pay extra for my children to get dental treatment. It is disgusting, yet we continue to let people in office that dont have our best interest in mind.
this country is going to hell in a hand basket.

[Harrison]

Thanks all, for your comments. I pruned this topic a bit (sorry) as it is frequently shared with media.