Just wanted everyone to know that I am still "kicking" so to speak.

2 kinda new knees later I am slowly starting to get "moving" again and figured I would let those that care that, I have not given up the fight.

Now about my most recent experience with the Soul Eating Bastard Industry (or as some may know it... the health insurance industry).

As I said I just got a couple of semi new knees (cleaned out and a piece put in where the rubbing takes place in the knee joint). Understand I have both  PRIMARY AND A SECONDARY health insurance. I am covered by my wife's policy through her employer and also by Medicare. My wife and I decided to pay for the "employee and spouse" coverage offered by her employer, (a small group plan) through United Health Group. Remember the small group it will be important. I also pay for coverage through a Medicare advantage plan. THIS COMBINATION WAS A HUGE MISTAKE.

After going through the procedures to fix my knees we figured that I would be fairly well covered because we had decided to pay for what we believed would be nearly 100% coverage after we met our deductibles and our co-pays. Things seemed to be how we figured they would be, until one day I received a call from the coordination of benefits department at United Soul Eating Bastard Group. They were wondering if I had "other" insurance in addition to what my wife was paying for through her "small group plan" at work I told them that yes I was covered by a Medicare Advantage plan. She told me that she appreciated my time and that was all they needed to know and hung up.

Two weeks later the Feces began to hit the rotary oscillator. I got a call from the billing department at the hospital telling me that United Soul Eating Bastard Group  was "recapturing" funds from all the bills they had paid for the work on my knees and I was now responsible for the balance of about $19,000.00.

What has happened is that because my wife works for a "Small Group"  UHG was now claiming to be a secondary insurer and not the primary, and even though we had paid them as the primary the Medicare plan would now be considered the primary because federal law allowed them to do this because my wife was part of a small group plan.

So the Advantage plan was now the primary insurer, but they had already paid as secondary, and they claim that had paid what they were required to pay. I have sent letters back and forth, made hundreds of phone calls and still seem to be on the hook for $19,000.00. Even though my wife and I paid 2 insurance companies to prevent this exact situation.

Do we need health care reform? With the experience of an expert I can tell you that the Soul Eating Bastard Industry will put the screws to ANYONE they can and anything less than a public option will lead to a lot more stories like mine.

 

PS: GLAD TO BE BACK IN THE FIGHT

Try as I might I just can't seem to stomach Chris "Mumble" Matthews. He asks a question and then just as a "guest" starts to answer he decides to add more to the question. He has problems with words and asks the most convoluted questions I have ever seen, heard or read. I can't imagine anyone else getting away with the crap he does and still keep a job it is truly amazing... to me anyways.

So what does everyone else think? Is it just me or do you feel the same? How can "Mumble" do better?

I now call the vote! Is Chris Matthews...

A Blowhard that thinks WAY too much of himself or a decent TV host?

 

PS: Oh... BTW Chris, I spelled moron wrong on purpose that's what the quote marks are for.

Really, it is starting to sound to me that a third party has very quietly been organized and it is there to support corporations.

Am I wrong? If you agree with me that we now have 3 political parties what do you see as the ramifications of a "Corporate Party"?

Perhaps it is because my own personal odometer clicked over to 48, 5 days ago and maybe the realization that my life was probably half gone 7 or 8 years ago has driven me crotchety, I don't know.. but it's a thought. But for the life of me I can not figure out what the fuck the right in this country is trying to accomplish. Or exactly what it is they want.

When you ask someone on the right what they want and once they get past "Private" all you hear are crickets. No shit... I haven't the slightest idea what they ARE FOR. Truth be told I don't think they know what they are for, so here are a few questions for those on the Whiny Right that I would love to see answered.

     1. If the child of a rich person and a poor person suffer from the same disease should they both get the same care? If you answered NO then we can stop the discussion right hear and declare that you are Heartless Bastards and we all know that heartless bastards are first cousins to the Soul Eating Bastards some call health insurance companies. Come on... you can not really believe that care should be different based on the amount of money someone has. If you do believe that you can stop reading because the questions are gonna get harder.

     2. Why is America  rated 29th in infant mortality? The reason is because we have a pay to play health care system just like our government has become. Think about it how much longer is it going to take before OUR government is a "holy" owned subsidiary of Megacorp. Big business is stealing our form of government right from under our noses.

     3. Why is America rated so low in longevity? See answer to question 2.

     4. Whiny Right if you were kings for a day how would you fix health care? I haven't got a clue to that answer.  "CRICKETS?"

     5 .Why not Medicare for all? And you have to have an answer that doesn't run to the defense of the Soul Eating Bastard Industry or as you call them Health Insurance Companies. I fully expect to hear "CRICKETS"

     6. How do we bring you along, what must we do to get you, the "whiny right" to shit or get off the pot... so to speak. What will make this work for you? What will make you stop the defense of the SEB Industry.

Over 230 years ago Ben Franklin thought that the only hope for our democracy is for people to respect each other enough to compromise. Now my perfect plan for health care reform would be to step on the throats of every single health insurance company until there was no other option than a government run single payer system. My side gave that up without a fight actually, now how far will you move to meet me in the middle. There is a song, I can't begin to tell you by who or even all the words but in the song somewhere it says "we'd both gain a lot if we just give a little" Think about that... when we quit playing politics with actual lives... how much do you think we can accomplish.

Sorry if this seems rather scattered, rain is on the way and it's a painful day. (Those with bad knees or other joints know the feeling). More soon.

5 days ago my "odometer" rolled over to 48 and maybe thats why I'm not seeing the Home run and although I liked the speech I don't really think it moved the debate one way or another.

So you all make me see the light... because while the speech may have been a hit it sure didn't look like a home run to me. PLEASE a little help.

I have been trying to think of the one question that should be asked to EVERY member of Congress that is not supporting the public option as part of health care reform. I have written down scores of questions and none seemed to make the point until early this morning.

See, I get up every day at 2 or 3 am not because I want to but because I pretty much have to. I have not slept more than 3 hours at a stretch going on 14 years now. So in the wee dark hours of the morning I read a little, watch a few infomercials and try to write something that a few folks might consider interesting and perhaps even provoke a few thoughts.

In the last month or two I have been trying to dream up that killer question, a question that those elected officials we call Representatives and Senators couldn't just brush off. A question that would be easy to answer, but the answer would reveal everything a voter needed to know about the person they sent to represent them in the House or the Senate. A question that if that elected official answered in any way would pull back the covers that are hiding their true masters, those "entities" they feel they have to "keep happy". A question that when asked, everyone that heard it knew that the coming response would determine if the person answering the question would be getting their vote in the next election.

Here, I think, is that question:

     What percentage of health care dollars do you think should go to actual health care and what percentage do you think should go to shareholders and CEOs as profit for insurance companies?

Seems simple enough, but an answer to this question will tell you more than all the speeches ever given by the person that answers it. There is really no way to not answer this question. The only way to dodge it is to just act like you didn't hear it.  And the answer will tell you all you need to know about the person responding. Think about it, how would you answer?

At the very least it will give that Senator or Representative something to think about and if we can make them think about it, we can change their mind.

Now I realize that I may not have this exactly right and if anyone has a suggestion to make it better, please feel free to make any additions or subtractions you feel would improve this question, or better yet add your own "thee question".

The reason I put this post up, is so that all those that plan to attend a future town hall meeting will have a question that might be a "show" stopper, so to speak. I would urge everyone to think long and hard about  A QUESTION that will back any elected official into a corner.

I think the question above brings into focus the fact that the only thing the health insurance industry contributes to health care is the function of a leech. They are the middleman that contributes NOTHING except the siphoning off of dollars that would otherwise be used to actually treat the sick.

A secondary question might also be: Should a Health Insurance Company's CEO first responsibility be to shareholders or policy holders? Right now, BY LAW, that responsibility is to the shareholder, at the expense of the policy holder.

Some other questions I would ask are; "Are you against the current form of socialized police and fire protection?"

PLEASE, think about the questions YOU would ask if you had the chance and list them below. I realize that I'm gonna get a few block headed questions that will add exactly nothing to the debate, BUT if we all put our minds to it we might just come up with a list that a few people will print out and take with them to a town hall meeting. And they might even make a few extra copies to hand out to other, like minded folks, at that town hall meeting. Then we might actually uncover the true motives of those elected officials that continue to turn their backs on the needs of the American Citizen.

So, go out to that next town hall in your area, get in line and ask "thee" question. Then enjoy watching them squirm as they try to not really answer.

For those that are REALLY worried about those Palin Death Panels (and I do think that her name should always proceed "Death Panels") you are late to the fight, see... we are in the fifth round in this health care fight and Palin's Death Panel have been functioning for a long, long time under the name  "DENIAL of SERVICE" etc....  Palin's Death Panels have killed, perhaps, tens of thousands of people just like you and me. People that thought they actually had good coverage were finally killed off  by Palin's Death Panels because someone at the insurance company decided as a matter of policy to FORCE those sickest of us into appealing the denial of care. And even when the denial of care was overturned on appeal it still led to a delay in getting the life saving care. That delay in getting care has caused the death of far more people than we will ever know. This is why I will forever call Health Insurance companies the Soul Eating Bastard industry, that long ago developed Palin's Death Panels to save shareholders profits.

Does anyone really believe that the big shots of the Soul Eating Bastard industry care for ANYTHING other than their bottom line?

Does it seem wrong to you to that the Soul Eating Bastard Industry also has Palin's Death Panels called post claim underwriting, a practice that actually concentrates on finding a way to deny coverage to sick individuals by canceling their policies RETRO-ACTIVELY, only they wait and let people think they are covered and when the individual policy holder is sick and really needs the insurance the Soul Eating Bastards send out a team (or panel) of investigators to find a way to justify the "retrocancelling" they do to thousands of individuals and policy holders each year.

Then there is AHIP (America's Health Insurance Plans),  the term "wolf in sheep's clothing" has never been more accurate. AHIP is probably the single worst actor in the health care debate, they are the Harry and Louise folks, they are the folks running ads today that say they support "bipartisan" reform efforts but they don't define what they consider bipartisan and if the past is any indication it means GOP. Oh I almost forgot... AHIP is the lobbying arm of the Soul Eating Bastard Industry.

On an almost totally different topic... I have heard recently the figure 35%. I have heard this percentage in context to what the Baucus Finance committee says the average American consumer will be required to pay of their total care after the Soul Eating Bastards pay your claim. As I understand it (and I hope I am wrong); you will pay your normal health insurance premiums and then 35% of all your health care costs. Think about that, what it is basically assuring is that health insurance companies will ALWAYS be able to pay 35% of revenue to shareholders in the form of dividends or huge CEO salaries. Perhaps I have gotten this wrong or misread it or something, if someone out there knows more about this please post it so we can make some sense out of it, I have been unable to track down the exact details and would appreciate some help on this Baucus jewel.

Finally, remember that Palin's Death Panels already exist they are just called something else. When you hear the term Post Claim Underwriting think Palin's Death Panel. When you hear the phrase "coverage denied" think Palin's Death Panel. When you hear the term "treatment considered experimental" think Palin's Death Panel. Shoot from now on when we hear of someone dying because the treatment was denied or delayed it should be blamed on PALIN'S DEATH PANELS.

The heat is on folks, time to fight fire with fire, and lies with the truth!  It is also time to kick down the door that the "gang of 6"  is hiding behind. I also think that we should drop the "ber" from Joe Lieberman's last name, then his last name would be the far more accurate "Lieman". But hey, I could be wrong about all of this.

 

As I sit typing this I am trying to figure out how to come up with 2700 dollars in the next 3 weeks. This health care reform crap has hit home (so to speak).  I am weary of waiting of and watching the complete bullshit that is passing for an attempt at health care reform. I had high hopes for this administration and the MANDATE of the majority that was given it by "We The People" but so far, I am not at all thrilled with the way it is playing out.  

Does anyone truly believe that the GOP is actually going to cast ONE vote for this? Does anyone believe that Max Baucus and Kent Conrad are really on board with true health care reform? I didn't think so. I think it is time to give them a kick in the ass and find people to run against them in a primary. As always, I'll try to pay the filing fee for the first person to step up and take on one of these DINOs in a primary. 

It is time for Democrats in Congress and The White House to acknowledge that a Health Care Reform solution is well past the point of any hope for a bipartisan solution, and rather than continue to bang their heads against that proverbial wall, they need to start banging the heads of reluctant Democrats against that wall.

So here are few questions for the President and those Democrats that continue to insist and hope for, some kind of bipartisan reform bill.

 

     1. What are you looking at that makes you actually believe that a bipartisan answer is still possible?

     2. How many Republicans will it take for YOU to consider a bill bipartisan?

     3. On what date will you "throw in the towel" for a bipartisan bill?

     4. What Republican(s) do you think are still open to REAL Health Care reform? (Names Please)

     5. What exactly is your "Line in the Sand"?

     6. Will anyone apply ANY pressure to those Democrats that continue to take huge sums of money from Health Care Special Interest Groups and Health Care Insurance Companies and vote for the interests of those Insurance Companies rather than the well being AND SECURITY of the American People?

     7. Will you seek out candidates to challenge these Democrats in the next primary election?

     8. Will those Democrats that chair committees holding up Health Care Reform legislation lose the chairmanship of those committees?

     9. If Republicans Filibuster Health Care Reform Legislation will you force them to ACTUALLY stage a filibuster on the floor of the Senate? If not why?

    10. Why do Democrats, having won a TRUE MANDATE, seem to be unwilling to exercise the MANDATE given them by the AMERICAN PEOPLE?

    11. Why does the Democratic Leadership in both the House and the Senate tolerate other Democrats that, I believe, are actually working against REAL Health Care Reform?

    12. Will Harry Reid, threaten to use the nuclear option as Bill Frist did when Republicans were the majority in the Senate? If not, why? 

At this moment I don't see any evidence that even ONE Republican will vote for ANY kind of REAL Health Care reform. Now I admit that I am no political genius and perhaps I am a complete fool, but based on what I have seen over the last few weeks I firmly believe that Charles Grassley would short change a blind, quadriplegic, newspaper vendor.  I also believe Kent Conrad and Max Baucus would be right there at his side giggling about it like high school freshmen. 

Mr. President,

You have let many of your supporters down. You seem to have abandoned those of us that took to the net, newspapers and when given the opportunity television, to defend you against the attacks from the lunatic fringe of the right. While you are doing good work in town halls across the nation, in Washington you appear to be standing silently on the sidelines while members of your own party dissect and discard the very things they were given a majority and a MANDATE to do.  You have confronted exactly NONE of those Senators FROM YOUR OWN PARTY that are quietly behind the scenes making deals with Health Insurance Companies and their lobbyists' to prevent REAL health care reform, just to make sure that, the steady stream  river of health insurance company money continues to flow into their campaign coffers. And YOU have yet to call them out! 

It is time for you to get specific and start to name, names (on both sides of the isle) of those that are in bed with the health insurance companies. It is time to let those Democrats In Name Only know that unless they get on board with their "full throated support" they will find themselves with a primary challenger and that you will be campaigning for the person on a regular basis. 

This issue of Health Care is, perhaps, the most important thing YOU will have to deal with during your time in office. More Americans die EVERY year from lack of insurance or under insurance, than the total of all of those brave service men and women who gave their lives in service of this country during the entire length of both the wars we are waging as I type this. EVEN if you add those murdered in the 9/11 attacks to the total of those killed during the wars, more people die EVERY year because they can't afford to go to the doctor or they can't afford to pay the co-pays required by their insurance policies'. 

How many Americans die because they have to cut pills in half because they can't afford to actually follow the directions the doctor has given them? How many families have to choose between food and seeing the doctor? How many seniors start breaking pills in half in October because they are trying to prepare for that fall through the donut hole they will take in February? How many parents have to choose which child will get treated this month because they can't afford to take all their kids to the doctor because they can't afford the co-pays? 

I firmly believe that until you begin to take a real hard line with members of your own party, you will NEVER accomplish any kind of TRUE health care reform. As long as you continue to let those in the Senate make policy for you, health insurance companies will be the winners, and the American Citizen will continue to suffer at the hands of those same insurance companies. 

I urge you to start to lead; it does no good to tour the country answering questions from the public, while members of your own party undermine your efforts by negotiating away any chance for real reform behind your back. 

I urge you to stand firm on the "public option". 

I urge you to regulate Insurance companies in the same way Casinos are regulated. In Nevada casinos are required to take no more than 25% profit, (most keep their profits from gaming take 20%).  In New Jersey, casinos are limited to 17.5% profits from gaming. I would argue that since Health Insurance Companies are dealing with life and death, they should be required to pay out at least 90% of total revenue in health care claims, and that figure is generous, especially if we are going to require everyone to get health insurance. 

Here are a few other things that I would like to see included if we are to have real health care reform.

     1. Everyone must be allowed to buy insurance for the same price.

     2. There can be no denial of coverage because of a pre-existing condition.

     3. There can be no Post Claim Underwriting.

     4. The cost of insurance can not be determined by a person's age, current health of an individual, or a person's lifestyle.

     5. All insurance companies must make public the percentage of claims paid as it relates to total revenue, they must disclose salaries of all executive and mid-level management employees.

     6. Health Insurers must make public all denied claims, the reason for denial, who decided to deny the claim, and how the person who denied claim is paid.

     7. To prevent insurance companies from denying claims as a matter of policy, any claim that is denied can be appealed to an independent board of health care professionals. If the denial is reversed by the board the insurance company will be fined an amount equal to triple the cost of the claim or $1,000,000 whichever is greater, and those funds will be used to expand care.

     8. Health Care reform must include language for a Medical Bankruptcy.

 

Yea, I know... I'm dreaming. But you gotta admit I'm dreaming big.

Please add your own wants and dreams and then spread this around. I have no problem with anything I listed above and no problem at all with taking on the DINOs, they need to be knocked down a peg or two, or at the very least knocked out of a chairmanship. 

So go ahead and tell me how crazy I am, print this out and hand it out to prove just how crazy I am, and be sure all your friends take a look at how crazy I am. You never know what might have an effect on a few of those DINOs! 

 

PS: Sorry to be AWOL the past couple months.  Sorry about the length of this post too. It didn't seem that long while I was typing it.

 

 

 

I can see no other answer to the cluster fucks known as the Senate Democratic Caucus and the Senate Finance Committee, but for the President to get a big damn stick, not walk softly and let those DINOs know that if they don't pull their heads out of their asses they will be facing a fully supported primary challenger.

I have thought about this in my moments of teeth gnashing anger and the only conclusion that I can see is that at some point the President is going to have knock heads.

I am sorry for being AWOL and it was just that, because I have come to the conclusion that Obama has bent over so far to please the GOP and dumbfuck democrats that we are all going to take it in the ass - with absolutely no lubricant.

SOMEONE please tell me what can be done to put these alleged majorities to use, PLEASE!

At this moment I would not vote for Barack Obama, and if he continues to APPEASE these members of the CORPORATE PARTY (both Ds & Rs).

I have nearly given up on Obama because it makes no difference if you can wax eloquent and are completely afraid to back it up behind the scenes, when your own party is fucking you just as bad as the GOP if not worse.

PLEASE, MR. PRESIDENT, QUIT PLAYING NICE AND

CRACK SOME DEM HEADS IN THE SENATE

And as much as I hate to say it, today I think

                                SHERROD BROWN - 2012

                                                                                   sounds pretty damn good.

I can no longer sit idly by and do nothing while those we elect ignore the needs of "We The People" and I need your help in whatever manner you are able to offer it.

I figure that today, the 4th of July, is the perfect day to start an organization that's sole purpose is to work for, lobby and agitate on behalf of the American individual. It will focus on ways to directly influence lawmakers to support legislation that will put "We The People" ahead of any corporate or special interest group.

This organization would initially try to sway those in power with "positive reinforcement" and if "positive reinforcement" proves ineffective then it will move on to the more direct techniques, like recruiting candidates to run against those lawmakers that continue to champion corporate interests over the interests of "We The "People".

Here's the problem, We are going to need a LOT of help to get this thing from this "post" to an actual functioning nationwide organization. (yea... I know,  many are already laughing at me but that's OK, just keep reading and post your ideas and what you would like to do IF this actually happens to take off) 

I know that there are some "old pros" that post here on TPM that would know exactly what needed to be done to really jump start this  new political party....uh.... er...  organizing effort.

I know that this is going to be a long hard road to navigate and I hope that many people will take the time to get involved. We need input from as many people as  we can get, we need ideas on how to get this group up and running and we need people that are willing to take on leadership roles in each city, county and state. We need ideas on how to raise money and someone to keep track of it. We need people to organize the ideas and manage the implementation of those ideas.

Again, I realize that a lot of folks are already laughing about this little project and I completely understand how unlikely something like this is to succeed, but I believe that we must at least give it a shot. Because if we don't, those worthless DINOs and heartless Republicans will keep standing up for their corporate masters' and laughing at each and every one of  "U.S." all the way to the bank.

So, I'm asking you to PLEASE, give this some serious consideration and tell us your ideas about what you feel needs to be done to really make this fledgling organization a force in American politics. Also, tell us what you would like to do to help get this "council" off the ground.

The name is not that important, however, I really think that any name needs to include "Middle/Missing", because it's those folks that really need a voice in American politics. But it is up to all those interested in working (and it will be work) to make this "council" a force that MUST be reckoned with.

THANKS, for taking the time to read this far, (bet I lost a lot of people in the first paragraph).   I really hope many, many people will take on this challenge and help create something that will become a permanent force in American politics.

So, you tell me, what's the first step in growing a true political "machine"?

 

(BTW... if anyone has a problem with my involvement, I will happily get out of the way or do whatever is requested).

It has become apparent to me that about 10 Democratic senators hold in their hands the ability to change the world... well America anyways.

The people of the United States knew what they were getting when they voted for A LOT more Democrats than Republicans. Perhaps the ONE THING Americans voted for as they put more democrats into office is UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE and these 10 senators are blocking the will of "U.S." because they are terrified to upset their major contributors and because of this fear they are using the "it must be a "bipartisan" bill argument TO COVER THEIR OWN ASS.

The time has come for SOMEONE.... ANYONE to take these "DINOs" to the woodshed. It is time to shove the entire DEMOCRATIC AGENDA down the throats of the Republicans, if for no other reason than, that given the same situation in Congress, Republicans would not hesitate to shove the Republican Agenda down the throats of Democrats.

Bipartisanship is a complete and total joke. It is being used by a few weak ass democrats, that are more concerned about keeping their jobs than actually doing something to help their constituents.

Bipartisanship  or  BipartisanSHIT ?  Those 10  Senators are holding "U.S." hostage for NO other reason than protecting the Health Insurance Companies that keep them in office.

One other word that is starting to get on my last nerve is CONSENSUS. This word has become the enemy of everything! It is used as the same kind of excuse as the "Bi" word. If we insist on waiting for "CONSENSUS" we will accomplish exactly NOTHING! Please let your elected officials know that it is time to step on the throats of Republicans and Democrats that just have to have CONSENSUS before taking a crap!

My offer still stands "I will pay the filing fee for the first person to take on an incumbent Democrat that refused to support a Public Option in the health care reform bill.

This is something I REALLY need your help with, Because the FDA is considering a complete ban on certain medications used in the treatment of chronic pain. If this new regulation goes through it is going to cause a lot of people a lot of pain. Somebody (can't figure out exactly who) is asking the FDA to ban most of the more potent pain relievers currently available by prescription, and it appears this new regulation will be enacted UNLESS a lot more "opposed" letters are received. That's what I am asking you to do, oppose this proposed new regulation. Also, the rumour is that ADD/ADHD medications are next on the "hit" list along with certain cancer medications and then certain psychiatric meds.

 

Link to the American Pain Foundation site =====> HERE

Feel free to copy my "comment" below and change a few details if you want, even a direct copy is OK too. I'd actually like you to write your own but either way is fine with me. You don't need to put your name on it and even at the comment site (I'll list it below) it only requires a first name, and Organization  (for the "organization" you can use the American Pain Foundation) In the comment section you MUST include the Docket number which is at the top of my comment that  I pasted below.  

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR COMMENT ===> HERE  

Again, you don't need to include your last name on the form to submit your comment and you don't have to put your name at the end of this letter, I did, but it is not required. Oh.. if you are going to post a long comment at the above site type it up first and copy and paste it because the site will time out. 

 

THANKS TO ALL THAT TAKE THE TIME TO HELP I WILL BE IN YOUR DEBT FOR A VERY LONG TIME!    

Docket No. FDA-2009-N-0143 As someone that has had to deal with chronic pain for the past 13 years I want to urge you not to take any action that would limit the ability of my doctor to treat the constant pain I experience 24 HOURS A DAY. I have not been able to sleep more than 3 hours at a stretch for more than 11 years now and to limit the choices my doctor and I have to treat this constant and NEVER ENDING pain would be draconian and cruel.
I am already forced to pay something I call "The Pain Tax" because my doctor is not permitted to put refills on one of my medications. This policy, (it is not a law) requires me to see my doctor, at a minimum, EVERY MONTH which requires me to pay for at least 8 extra doctor visits every year.
Rather than clamping down and causing HARM to MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, I urge you to relax whatever regulation it is that forces those who suffer the most, to pay the most, when it comes to receiving effective care. That banning certain medications is even being considered is cruel and unusual to pain patients.
I feel that you and "other" regulatory agencies should trust the American citizen and their doctor enough to know what is best, and to make the best decisions about their individual care.
There appears to be a very "vocal MINORITY" that feels they MUST protect everyone else regardless of the hardship it burdens EVERY other citizen with, and to act at the urging of these vocal minorities is to kick to the side of the road THE TRUE EXPERTS THAT ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT WORKS BEST FOR THEM. Again, I urge you to not only ignore this call from the "hysterical" and take NO ACTION, to limit a doctor's and patient's choice to decide the best treatment for that individual.
IN ADDITION I would ask that you pass a regulation that says the following:
     "Doctors SHALL be permitted to include refills on prescriptions, regardless of            the type of medication prescribed"
This simple change will save individuals and their insurance companies Billions of dollars while at the same time save Medicare and Medicaid even more. Please don't limit the choices of doctors and patients just because a vocal minority has decided that certain medications are "bad"!
And, if I am unable to convince you to relax the "refill regulation", then please take comfort in the fact that doctors are currently being effectively intimidated, by certain agencies, in the decisions they make while treating pain, and also, you can take comfort in the fact that a tremendous burden is in place for those that suffer, and take no action on this ill informed proposal to ban certain pain relieving medications.
Very, Very, VERY Sincerely,    

Please post a note if you submit a comment, or even if you think I'm a complete idiot, I don't care if you take the time to send in a comment, hell I'll even agree with you until July 1st. I will also be reposting this or trying to keep it in the "Recommended Reader Posts" area. Any help with that will be greatly appreciated. If you want to copy this ENTIRE post to put up some place else feel free. And again PLEASE RECOMMEND this post!

One more thing if you have the time PLEASE send a copy to advocacy@painfoundation.org  

Thanks!

 FACE  (an angry Ò¿Ó about this bullshit issue)

On this date in 1284, it was said that the PIED PIPER of Hamelin, Germany lured 130 children out of town, and they were never seen again. On June 26, 1974, supermarket SCANNING of UPC codes began with a pack of chewing gum in Troy, Ohio.

That's it for now but I have been collecting info on this heartless tatic of Post Claim Underwriting, and why this is the best arguement for a Public Option in the new health care reform bill. So the rants will continue soon, I promise.

I have caught hell for a past email link, but this info is ALL from public sources that involve public actions by a public official. SO click =======> HERE

What do we think about this? Comments from readers are rather interesting.

(A rerun from January)

The philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson gave an interesting talk in the midst of what was called the "Panic of 1837." At that time, about half of all banks had failed, credit had all pretty much dried up, and the American economy had nearly ground to a halt.

But Emerson did not fear the challenges of the day. He embraced them when he said:

 "If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the new stand side by side and admit of being compared; when the energies of all men are searched by fear and by hope; when the historic glories of the old can be compensated by the rich possibilities of the new era? This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it."

Isn't it amazing how on point this paragraph is, still today, with all we seem to be facing?