bcbs of florida dropping wsl

[Guest guest]

Bluecross/bllueshield of florida is dropping wsl and others are in

hot persute, we need to band together and let our government know we

aren't going to sit back and let them take advantage of us!!! here

is a copy of a letter we all can send tothe president and we should

let our legislators in on our concerns as well. at obesitylaw.com

they have links to every state legislator and other great info.

Please stop by and visit!!!

Michele, Dayton OR

pre-op dr tom eubanks

President W. Bush

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, D.C. 20500

RE: Discrimination in the United States

Dear President Bush:

I am sending this letter to you as a concerned citizen in order to

call your attention to a serious and pervasive problem in this

country. It is the problem of rampant discrimination against persons

in this country who suffer from a medical condition known

as " clinically severe obesity. " The condition is also called " morbid

obesity. " This is a chronic physiological disorder suffered by

persons who are either 100+ lbs over their " ideal " body weight or

weigh twice that " ideal " if they are short of stature. Because your

Administration professes concern for health care in America, this is

a problem which requires your involvement.

It is now well-recognized in the medical community that this is a

physiological disorder which is likely caused by a number of

different factors. It either causes or substantially contributes to

related co-morbid conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea,

hypertension and other serious complications. It is a life-

threatening disease. However, it can be treated. One treatment

endorsed by the National Institutes of Health and Dr. Koop's " Shape

Up America " program, for example, is surgical intervention. In fact,

surgery is now considered the only viable long-term option to

successfully treat this illness. Unfortunately, there are numerous

roadblocks suffered by persons trying to treat this illness.

The first barrier is simply a fundamental disregard for morbidly

obese persons by the law and society in general. Barring

discrimination on the basis of weight must be made an explicit part

of this country's anti-discrimination laws, similar to the model

utilized in Michigan. Second, a general perception exists that obese

persons can simply " cure " themselves by eating less and exercising

more. That is untrue. Medical literature clearly shows that

constant " yo-yo dieting " actually has severe adverse health

consequences. The next major barrier is that a number of health

insurance companies, health maintenance organizations and other

managed care organizations expressly exclude treatment for this

serious medical condition. I believe such conduct is inherently

discriminatory against a class of persons who require this medical

treatment. Moreover, this exclusion is actually counter-productive

because ample medical evidence supports the fact that loss of

substantial amounts of weight generally leads to a reduction or

elimination of many co-morbid conditions. That is why you need to

have coverage for obesity mandated similar to what you did for

mandatory 48 hour hospital stays for new mothers.

I do not believe you would allow an insurance company in this country

to expressly exclude the treatment of someone with Sickle-Cell Anemia

or Tay-Sachs disease. You should also not allow this form of blatant

discrimination against the obese. I respectfully request that you or

a qualified member of your staff contact Walter Lindstrom, Jr.,

Esquire, of the Obesity Law & Advocacy Center located at 7710 Hazard

Center Drive, Suite E, PMB No. 443, San Diego, CA 92108

(Ph) - (Fax), to address how the power

of your office can be utilized to eliminate this unfair, arbitrary

and unreasonable discrimination against people suffering from this

life-threatening disease.

Very Truly Yours,

[Guest guest]

Bluecross/bllueshield of florida is dropping wsl and others are in

hot persute, we need to band together and let our government know we

aren't going to sit back and let them take advantage of us!!! here

is a copy of a letter we all can send tothe president and we should

let our legislators in on our concerns as well. at obesitylaw.com

they have links to every state legislator and other great info.

Please stop by and visit!!!

Michele, Dayton OR

pre-op dr tom eubanks

President W. Bush

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, D.C. 20500

RE: Discrimination in the United States

Dear President Bush:

I am sending this letter to you as a concerned citizen in order to

call your attention to a serious and pervasive problem in this

country. It is the problem of rampant discrimination against persons

in this country who suffer from a medical condition known

as " clinically severe obesity. " The condition is also called " morbid

obesity. " This is a chronic physiological disorder suffered by

persons who are either 100+ lbs over their " ideal " body weight or

weigh twice that " ideal " if they are short of stature. Because your

Administration professes concern for health care in America, this is

a problem which requires your involvement.

It is now well-recognized in the medical community that this is a

physiological disorder which is likely caused by a number of

different factors. It either causes or substantially contributes to

related co-morbid conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea,

hypertension and other serious complications. It is a life-

threatening disease. However, it can be treated. One treatment

endorsed by the National Institutes of Health and Dr. Koop's " Shape

Up America " program, for example, is surgical intervention. In fact,

surgery is now considered the only viable long-term option to

successfully treat this illness. Unfortunately, there are numerous

roadblocks suffered by persons trying to treat this illness.

The first barrier is simply a fundamental disregard for morbidly

obese persons by the law and society in general. Barring

discrimination on the basis of weight must be made an explicit part

of this country's anti-discrimination laws, similar to the model

utilized in Michigan. Second, a general perception exists that obese

persons can simply " cure " themselves by eating less and exercising

more. That is untrue. Medical literature clearly shows that

constant " yo-yo dieting " actually has severe adverse health

consequences. The next major barrier is that a number of health

insurance companies, health maintenance organizations and other

managed care organizations expressly exclude treatment for this

serious medical condition. I believe such conduct is inherently

discriminatory against a class of persons who require this medical

treatment. Moreover, this exclusion is actually counter-productive

because ample medical evidence supports the fact that loss of

substantial amounts of weight generally leads to a reduction or

elimination of many co-morbid conditions. That is why you need to

have coverage for obesity mandated similar to what you did for

mandatory 48 hour hospital stays for new mothers.

I do not believe you would allow an insurance company in this country

to expressly exclude the treatment of someone with Sickle-Cell Anemia

or Tay-Sachs disease. You should also not allow this form of blatant

discrimination against the obese. I respectfully request that you or

a qualified member of your staff contact Walter Lindstrom, Jr.,

Esquire, of the Obesity Law & Advocacy Center located at 7710 Hazard

Center Drive, Suite E, PMB No. 443, San Diego, CA 92108

(Ph) - (Fax), to address how the power

of your office can be utilized to eliminate this unfair, arbitrary

and unreasonable discrimination against people suffering from this

life-threatening disease.

Very Truly Yours,