Last fall I traveled to North Carolina to volunteer for Larry Kissell's campaign for Congress. I worked out of an office that housed two other campaigns, Barack Obama's and Kay Hagan's. There I met a volunteer named Connie who put in many hours on the phone for Kay Hagan. She was one of those volunteers that every campaign office treasures; reliable, good humored and someone you could always count on in a pinch. Connie and I bonded and have become friends. Her recent experience illustrates what we are up against in trying to get our elected representatives to do the right thing on health care reform. One of my senators is Dianne Feinstein who is famous for sending replies to letters of concern that are models of vagueness and vacuity. But I think Kay Hagan's response to Connie's personal and powerful testimony on behalf of her friends and herself has to be awarded a prize for non-responsiveness. It is truly worthy of Hagan's predecessor, Elizabeth Dole.
This is Connie's letter to Senator Hagan.
Kay, as someone who worked long hours, making calls, helping with mailings and answering questions to ensure your election to the Senate, I am counting on you to do what's right for so many of us here in North Carolina and endorse and promote a strong public option as efforts to reform health care move through Congress.
Additionally, I would like to share the story of two close friends of mine who lost their coverage because of lay-offs. Karin and Bill ....., who I know from church, lost their coverage when Bill got laid off. They couldn't afford family coverage for the family with his COBRA benefit. Karin has diabetes that started as gestational diabetes with the pregnancy of her youngest child who is in elementary school. Even before Bill lost his job and insurance, Blue Shield decided that diabetic testing supplies, strips and lancets, were durable goods and refused to pay for them! Instead of working to keep Karin's diabetes well controlled through regular testing along with diet,exercise and medication, they did nothing but make it harder for her to do so. To insure the entire family was more than what Bill made before he got laid off, and to insure Karin alone cost them $2000 a month, which exceeded both his severance package and unemployment benefits. They drained their savings quickly needless to say. Bill has since then found employment that provides coverage, but which won't cover Karin because of her pre-existing condition. They don't have any place to turn to help them deal with this problem, one that is all too common these days.
Legislation that would prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage and/or charging excessive fees for pre-existing coverage is a necessity. In my opinion, it's crucial to provide a public option since there are so many people who work part-time jobs or work for small companies that can't afford to offer insurance to their employees in the first place. I personally know 3 people who work for companies that will only let people work a maximum of 29 hours, prohibiting additional hours, in order to avoid offering health insurance.
My other close friend who is dealing with an impossible health care situation is Donna .... Our children go to school together and we've worked long hours together to help our school be all it can be. Donna lost her job with Wachovia in the first round of lay-offs. She paid to continue her insurance out of sheer necessity because she has a severely disabled husband who has had multiple strokes that have put him in the hospital and rehab repeatedly, especially this last year. In Donna's own words...
"I agree, my "story" is a classic example. There are a few twists to it as well. My disabled spouse will lose my coverage in November and doesn't qualify for Medicare until January. Then, add that 60 day gap to the mix and see what happens. In addition to trying to look for work and taking care of my husband, I am fighting battles with insurance companies and medical firms."
Donna told me that their are many days when she just wants to get in her car and drive and not ever stop. Donna also has a son in Jr. High School to care for and her husband requires around the clock care because he wanders, turns on the stove, forgets he did and they've had one kitchen fire already. Caring for him is like caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's plus the side effects of many strokes, 3 of which have been major. Donna and her family desperately need options for health insurance for her husband that cannot be met by standard policies offered by an employer. Standard policies would not cover him with his pre-existing health history and if they did, the cost would be prohibitive. Donna sees a public option as the only alternative for her and her family.
Kay, I am one of the lucky few who have health insurance for myself and my granddaughter through Philip Morris/Altria as a salaried retiree. That being said, I am all too aware that Altria can choose to stop providing that coverage at any time or require me to pay for a larger and larger portion of my coverage. If they do that I literally don't know how I will be able to pay for it. If you think Altria wouldn't take those steps, don't be fooled. In today's mail I received a letter from Altria saying we (retirees and current employees) will have to start carrying more of the responsibility for our insurance. We will be attending mandatory meetings in the next few weeks/months to explain what they mean. If they drop our coverage somewhere along the way I don't know how I will be able to pay for my own policy. I'm not quite 63, live on my pension, Social Security for myself, a small Social Security check my granddaughter receives (her mother, my daughter, is deceased) and the small amount I earn working as a gardener in the Botanical Gardens at UNC-C. I have Type II diabetes which is well-managed through oral medications (one generic, one not), diet and exercise. I also have a long history of moderate, but chronic, depression which is also well-managed with generic medications. In addition, I've had Fibromyalgia, diagnosed in 1990, which I just deal with through by being active, getting enough rest and managing stress. When I over do the gardening and my legs scream, I just deal with it and work through it.
Kay, I know this letter is long, but I am hoping you will pay close attention to what I've written. My friends and I are all counting on you to represent us, the people who helped get you elected by working phone banks, getting mailings out the doors and walking neighborhoods on your behalf. The thousands of people here in North Carolina who don't have, can't get and/or can't afford health insurance are counting on you to do the next right thing. Please fight for a public option when the time to vote on Health Care Reform comes up for a vote. We are counting on you to work for us and not to be swayed by the lobbies representing health insurance and/or pharmaceutical companies.
Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss this further.
Sincerely,
Here is Kay Hagan's reply.
August 11, 2009
Dear Friend,
I wanted to take a moment to thank you for contacting me to share your thoughts and opinions. Since taking office, I have received an overwhelming number of calls and emails from North Carolinians like you who are ready to take an active part in our government. I appreciate each and every call and email. With our country facing some of its toughest challenges in a generation, your phone calls and messages are an important factor guiding my work here in Washington. Please be assured that we will get back to you as soon as possible regarding your specific concern.
I would like to take this opportunity to share my website with you. Please visit http://Hagan.Senate.Gov to find contact information for my offices and to stay updated as my new state offices open. You can also find information there about what I've been doing in North Carolina and Washington. It is an honor to serve as your United States Senator, and I appreciate your patience as I transition into this new role. I sincerely hope you will not hesitate to contact me at any time to share your concerns and voice your opinions on our country's most pressing issues.
Sincerely,
Kay R. Hagan
United States Senator, North Carolina
Please do not reply to this email. Instead, if you have further questions, please visit www.hagan.senate.gov and fill out my web form for your inquiry. Thank you.
I hope that many of you reading this will respond to Kay Hagan by flooding her offices in Washington and Raleigh with phone calls and emails. The US Capitol switchboard is (202) 224-2131. The Hagan Raleigh office number is 919-656-4630.
Whomever your senator or congressperson is, Dianne Feinstein, Kay Hagan, whomever, They work for us. We phone banked, door knocked, donated money and voted for them. We want health care reform with a strong public option. Let them know that.