We might make a difference yet
Ed Shultz has been a passionate advocate for health care reform and it was an honor to be on his show with my friend Heather Mroz.
We had another great day in Washington today, starting with an informal Congressional hearing. Not all of us got to talk, but I did get to chime a Tibetan bowl every 12 minutes to comemmorate the American who died during that time from not having insurance.
The hearing was moderated by Wendell Potter, the former insurance company executive who found his conscience and became a whistle blower against the industry.
We followed the hearing with visits to the offices of several representatives, including Eric Cantor and my own representative, Heath Shuler.
I had a 3 oclock appointment with Shuler and Wendell Potter asked if he could come along. I also brought Regina Holliday, whose husband died of kidney cancer, leaving her with two sons, the elder of whom has autism. Reina paints murals (go to http://reginaholliday.blogspot to learn more about her work).
Rep. Shuler knows about Mike and what happened to him. He’s seen Mike’s picture a whole lot of times. He also voted against the House bill.
We three were a pretty powerful force. Wendell and Regina backed up most of the points I made. I talked about being pro-life by preventing 47,000 deaths a year — one every 12 mintes. I talked about his faith and asked that he really pra about what he should do, asked him whether he thinks God would consider the defecit above human life and told him he needs to have the courage to do the right thing here.
He talked about “waste, fraud and abuse,” and I asked whether he was taking about the private sector and their conspiracy to derail reform. Then Wendell set him straight on how the industry works, about the conspiracies they hatch and how he once was part of them. The work he does now is how he tries to atone for his actions with the insurance companies in the past.
I hope we made an impression.
Then Heather Mroz and I went on the Ed Shultz Show on MSNBC and spent some time with Howard Dean in the green room and then we got to meet Rep. Alan Grayson.
Ed Shultz has been a passionate advocate for reform all along. I’ve been on his radio show twice and I admire his willingness to speak truth to power.
Heather owes nearly $500,000 in medical bills because United Health “Care” canceled her insurance when her twins were born prematurely. Not only was it canceled, but United made it retroactive and refused to pay her hospital bills or the babies’. The bills came to $480,000.
I’ve made good friends here in Washington — Heather; Susan Braig, who makes gorgeous jewelry from pills; Kelly Cuvar, who has had cancer for 11 years and can’t get coverage to see her oncologist or have all the tests she needs; Bob Finkelstein, whose medication for MS costs $2,900 a month and Regina Holliday, whose story I read in the Washington Post last year.
And of course, my new friends Ed Shultz, Howard Dean, Alan Grayson and Wendell Potter.
What a day.
Tags: Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a peer support program for people with one or more serious or chronic medical issues or disabilities.
We aim to reduce isolation and fear among people who have conditions, including psychiatric illness, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, mild dementia or other cognitive disorder or disability, thereby reducing depression and complications as people learn to improve self-management of their medical conditions.
Patient Pals help alleviate feelings of isolation and frustration. They can help people develop a list of questions to ask the doctor and then accompany the person to the doctor to make sure all the questions are answered, taking notes to be sure the person understands the doctor’s answers.
Our trained volunteers also accompany their “Pals” to art exhibits, movies and walks outdoors, meet for coffee, call to check in and more.
Our Pals have experienced weight loss, improvement in diabetes, HIV, psoriasis, depression and more, just because they have someone who cares about them. Some relationships develop into longer-term friendships; other Pals move on to more independent lives.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
We need volunteers, who are asked to donate a minimum of one hour a week. Training is free and includes information on active listening, ways to help and when to know more help is needed.
And of course, we need funding.
To learn more, call Leslie Boyd at 828-243-6712 or e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com.
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