I Just Called The White House Comment Line And Was On For About 4 Minutes With ......

[global1]

a gentleman that listened carefully; asked questions and recorded my comments. I told him I was in support of a 'public option' in healthcare reform and that the President should sign no bill that contained less. He asked me to describe what my definition was of a public option. I told him - a government sponsored health insurance that would provide competition to the current private insurers that would allow me to choose between plans. One that would cause the private insurers to re-evaluate the way they do business and perhaps reduce their rates and imposing restrictions on use and pre-existing conditions. I mentioned that competition is very American and that the same people that called for GM & Chrysler to go belly up because they weren't competitive are the same people now that want to prohibit competition in healthcare. I mentioned to him that I just returned from D.C. and was up on Capitol Hill and that there is selective listening by our Representatives there. I told him I was told that the American people are against a public option and when I probed as to who they were hearing this from - I was told by Congressional aides that Obama was booed by the AMA. Well - they were listening only to the Doc's.

I told him that I have my own business and I pay $12,000 per year for Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan that has a $3000 deductible. I told him I was frightened to use my insurance because I was worried that at a later date the 'pre-existing condition' would rear its ugly head. I indicated that I wouldn't mind paying more in taxes if we had a 'public option' - because in the long run I would be better served and would probably save money.

I indicated to him that I spoke with some Canadians a couple of weeks ago here in Chicago that love their plan up in Canada. I told him they were surprised that the U.S. didn't have a similar plan and that they felt sorry for us. I indicated that I realize that most likely at this time a 'single payer' plan is not realistic and that this is why I'm calling in support of the inclusion of a 'public option' in the healthcare reform package.

The gentleman I spoke with at the WH was very polite. Very inquisitive. Very complementary - saying that my comments were well thought out and articulate. He thanked me and said he would get this info to the President.

I was initially put on hold - but he picked up and answered my call in about 2 minutes. The phone line is busy. When I initially called - I got a busy signal - then I just used my redial function to continue calling until I got through. I think I might have had to do that about 7 times before it rang through.

Please - Please - Please ------ Call the W.H. and voice your opinions. Not only is it the right thing to do - it will make you feel good that you did. Tell your friends and family to do the same.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

1. Please post the number to call. K&R nt

[Diamonique]

4. Here's the phone number.

I got it on the Whitehouse.gov web site

Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: [phone]

[Soylent Brice]

28. thank you

[sisters6]

69. I called that number

a few days ago and politely said I wanted the public option.
She asked no questions and I said-don't you even want my name and she said--we have your phone number-thank you and hung up.

[global1]

5. The White House Comment Line Is 1-202-456-1111.......nt

[Democrat 4 Ever]

2. Please post the phone # n/t

[grahamhgreen]

3. White House Comments: Call 202-456-1414. Call often.

[global1]

6. Earlier This A.M. I Called This '1414' Number & The Operator Switched Me To The '1111' Extension..

the '1111' extension is the Comment Line - the '1414' is the Main W.H. Number.

[ksoze]

7. You pay for insurance and are "frightened" to use it?

Makes no sense - what condition are you afraid of?

[eShirl]

9. makes sense to me. n/t

[Enthusiast]

54. +1, Makes perfect sense. nt

[applejuice]

10. It makes total sense,

They are saying that they are worried that something that they are treated for now may later be shown to be the start of something. So, if they were to change insurers and then be diagnosed with something bad their new insurer would look back at their insurance and see something that was a symptom of that disease earlier. They could then say "that was a pre-existing condition, too bad, not covered!"

Stuff like that happens all the time. The insurance companies will trawl through your records to try to get out of paying if they can. If you want a diatribe about how crappy the insurance companies I could easily give you one from experience...

[global1]

11. When You Are Covered By Your Employer - You Don't Go Through The Same Procedure .....

you currently have to go through to purchase your own health insurance. I've been fortunate that I've been relatively healthy most of my life. I didn't use MD's much. When I applied for Blue Cross/Blue Shield - they didn't believe me when I told them I didn't have a personal physician. They made me go back almost 7 years to MD's I seen when I was younger and those MD's had to go to their archives for my medical records to be sent to BC/BS.

Remember the private insurers make their money by taking only those that pose the least risk for them and then go on to deny coverage when you need to be treated.

They are currently interfering with the Doctor/Patient relationship and making the decisions for the Doc's now.

Also - I found out that I can perhaps switch plans and save some money by my current carrier Blue Cross/Blue Shield. However, you just can say switch me to the cheaper plan. You have to re-apply and go through the same rigorous application process before you can switch. Even though they know that I haven't made any claims on my current costly policy - they make you go through the process again.

They are evil.

[K Gardner]

34. Not always true. I am insured, through my employer (a hospital ! ) and yet when I

went for my routine "annual exam" I was denied coverage and got a $560 bill, because they cited "pre-existing condition". I have no Pre-X, but for one thyroid pill I take everyday and have for 15 years, so I could only argue in my endless APPEAL process that my Pre-X was "being alive". They have so far, after 3 months of paperwork, coughed up half of it.

[elleng]

41. You have hypo- or hyper-, don't you?

OR, why the tyroid pill? (Mebbe you don't HAVE a thryoid????)

This is MUCH TOO COMMON to be considered a reason to 'deny!' imo!

[Sherman A1]

51. On your next appeal put down

CC: State Insurance Dept (or board or whatever you have in your state). Then file a complaint with them. I think you might get their attention by doing so.

[JDPriestly]

44. Even if you are covered by your employer's insurance plan, you should

be careful about your contacts with your doctor. If you are ever unemployed or selfemployed and you have to get insurance, you will have to report all pre-existing conditions. This happened to me. I was over 60 at the time and had several pre-existing conditions -- as most people over 60 do. None of them were all that unusual. I had to list them all, and because of them, I had to pay a higher premium.

Until we have a public option or single payer, be careful about going to the doctor and being diagnosed with some condition that will give the insurers an excuse to raise your premium. Remember, a condition you have treated in your 30s can come back to haunt you when you try to get insurance coverage in later years. It's that period between 50 and 65 that is so treacherous.

The removal of a small skin cancer, high blood pressure, a touch of high cholesteral, arthritis, some genetic condition that really doesn't affect you much at all -- a few little things can mean a higher premium every month.

Medicare is such a blessing. It makes all of the problems that come with age worthwhile.

I would like to see Medicare for everyone.

[The Wizard]

63. Insurance company's standard script

"You're not covered."

[dalaigh lllama]

12. The condition of "now your rates will skyrocket" or

"we won't cover that" or, if you have to switch coverage at a later date: "looks like you have a pre-existing condition we won't cover." This isn't a problem for those healthy under-30 folks, but for those of us maybe 50 and older, yeah -- I'd say I'm leery of having to use my health insurance.

[global1]

20. Those Under 30 Folks Need To Take Heed As Well Because......

they tend to be employed now and when they get the slightest hiccup they see a physician. That all becomes part of their permanent record and when they are in need of really using their health insurance for something really serious - they could be denied.

This is life in the American Healthcare System - which is a misnomer in the first place. We have an "Illness Care System" and a poor one at that.

So for those of you under 30's here that are reading this - you need become activist in this healthcare reform now as well. If you don't - you will also fall prey to the big insurers in the future when you really need to use it. \

I laugh when I heard a self-employed Repug (now getting close to 55 y/o) tell me he is covered by his wife's health insurance that she gets through her employer. He doesn't have an inkling that if she gets fired, laid off, can't work for any reason - that he may be faced with having to go out on the open market (after Cobra) and purchase health insurance for himself and his family. He has no conception as to what that will cost him or how he could be bankrupted by the system.

Most Americans that are covered by their employers - don't consider these things and only - find out too late that they should have supported healthcare reform and a government sponsored program.

I'm jealous of Europeans that don't have the same worries because their government takes care of their health and in most cases education needs. Sure they pay more taxes - but their quality of life is so much less stressful.

CALL THE WHITE HOUSE NOW - BE HEARD!!!!!!

[backscatter712]

14. These days, you don't have to have much.

If you get any sort of medical condition at all, and you start making claims, the insurance company will have one of their flunkies go through your medical records with a microscope, and if they see the flimsiest excuse at all, then they'll rescind your policy.

See SiCKO for examples, but two examples off the top of my head are:

One woman was diagnosed with breast cancer, and started chemotherapy. In the middle of treatment, the insurance company dumped her, after going through her records, and finding she'd been treated for acne when she was a teenager, and didn't report it when she filled out the paperwork for the policy. ACNE!!! A fucking case of zits was used as justification to dump a cancer patient.

In a second case, a man again was diagnosed with a serious and expensive condition, probably cancer, but his insurance company rescinded his policy and dumped him because during a routine checkup, his doctor put some notes in his file about a potential gall bladder condition. He didn't even know about it - he didn't have symptoms, and his doctor thought the condition so mild he didn't tell the patient, but it was in his file, BOOM. Preexisting condition. No insurance for you!

That's how murder by spreadsheet works.

[eShirl]

16. "murder by spreadsheet"

That's exactly what it is!

[JDPriestly]

47. Murder by spreadsheet. I love that.

[ksoze]

15. Still makes no sense - so you would risk a health issue because you may have a health issue?

I understand the greedy HC system looking for any angle to screw people - but if you are shelling out good dough for your health and do not use it, it makes no sense. I think i would would rather not be sick or catch a potential problem early than feel better that I beat the system by now potentially having a disease they will now cover because it was just found (too late) that I could have maybe caught earlier.

[global1]

19. I Don't Disagree With You - But The Current System Is Based Less On Prevention & Wellness......

Trust me if you deal with any of these insurers on your own - you wind up not trusting them. Fortunately (knock on wood) I'm relatively healthy and take care of myself. I've made the decision that I will only use my current insurance if I absolutely have to. If you go in and are treated even for something as common as High Blood Pressure - that could come back to you at a later date when you have other cardiac problems - and they can deny coverage - because they can - that it was a "pre-existing condition".

Sad but true. I'm sure others on this board can attest to this.

[ksoze]

23. Skipping treating HBP is not worth the risk of the fear of what may happen

[global1]

25. No Argument Here On This - Only Trying To Illustrate How Evil Private Insurers Are......

seems to me that even big pharma would benefit from a 'public option' or 'single payer' as more people would present themselves in the first place to be treated.

[JDPriestly]

48. Oh, yes it is. You do not want to have any pre-existing condition on your record.

That's why we absolutely need a public option or single payer.

[puebloknot]

45. The problem is this:

And this is no mere hypothetical: You have insurance, use it and thereby establish a record of a health issue. You then lose the insurance because it was through an employer or some kind of "co-op", or you have private insurance and miss a payment and get cancelled. Then you have to shop for insurance again on the open market, and they will put a waiver on all pre-existing conditions -- or more likely refuse to cover you at all. Lose/lose situation.

No, no one should risk their health by not seeing a doctor. But it's a devious game, and insurance companies have been playing it for years. And We, the People have, like sheep, let them get by with it.

[Enthusiast]

55. And the reason for this is-

corporations have this country by the ASS! We should be in the streets like the Iranians but our population is dumbed down because these corporations also control the fucking media.

[puebloknot]

67. We would be doing *something" ...

... just to get people to stop paying certain bills that occur monthly, or, say, yearly, in the spring.

Now *that* would be a revolution.

Our population is dumbed down starting way before the media has much to do with it. School/church/Sunday School/home schooling. By the time the ABCs sink in, so do faith-based brain washings of various sorts.

We should have been in the streets in December 2000. Things aren't painful enough here yet.

[Enthusiast]

68. December 2000 for sure. nt

[haele]

18. He is worried about getting stuck with a "pre-existing condition" label if he needed to renew

Currently, as the only one in my immediate family capable of working, I've been lucky enough to work for a company that provides excellent insurance and covers pre-existing conditions.
But there have been times during the 1990's when I wasn't provided with good insurance at work, and I've looked into purchasing my own - I would see the affordable "product" costs (premiums, deductibles, and co-pays)go to half my weekly salary and the available coverage services began to get cut (only 6 mental health visits instead of 20, lab work was automatically 60/40 instead of $100 deductible and 80/20, prosthesis would be completely out of pocket instead of 80/20,) all as soon as a medical history with "pre-conditions" was provided - even if those conditions were just tests. Didn't matter if I went with an agent or online, the costs would triple as soon as you included the trip to the doctor or clinic for a knee that went out, carpel tunnel/possible arthritis, environmental poisoning or a kidney infection.
If you need to buy your own insurance and need to renew every year - like you do with Auto insurance - your premiums can go up at renewal if you use your insurance for more than the basic once a year checkup. As one gets older, the costs go up if you opt into having annual or regular tests like mammograms, colonoscopies, or MRI screenings because cancer or other serious, expensive conditions run in your family. The insurance company can also arbitrarily decide that you don't need the screenings or treatments for preventative health issues and make you pay the entire procedure out of pocket.
If you have mental health issues and if your insurance company covers mental health, that cause premiums and out of pocket deductible costs to go up - and can cause you not to be able to renew your insurance.
Just getting older and using your insurance regularly can cause it to go up, when you have to provide your own insurance.
Too many people put off using their health insurance for catastrophic conditions, just because they're afraid of their premiums becoming even more expensive than what they pay now. And even having employer provided insurance, I'm paying close to 1/5th of my monthly income in medical insurance premiums - and I need to because there are two people in my family currently being treated for chronic, pre-existing conditions. If we had to buy it on our own, it would cost 3/4 of my income just to cover them, leaving nothing for rent or utilities, and barely enough for food and the insurance on our one paid off vehicle to go to work and take the kid to school.
If we had to purchase our own insurance out of pocket, and Medicare was not available to us for that purpose (husband is disabled and eligible through SSDI), we would be paying over $2K a month for basic care for 3 people - and if we needed regular lab work or therapy, we'd be looking at between $3K and $5K a month, with high deductibles - and the insurance company would still be standing in between our health care and our doctor's recommendations. The only reason my husband is not on Medicare is the cost of part D - the medications he is currently taking insure we hit "the donut hole" in June/July, and we just can't afford the out of pocket expenses we will have to pay simply because he has a spouse that makes too much to be eligible for the "special prices" the pharmaceutical companies provide for people in the hole.

That's what being Sick in America is like. You can afford health care only when you are working and healthy.

Haele

[JDPriestly]

50. I fell into a trap because I went to the doctor a number of times

during the final months of a job in which I had good insurance. I did that because I knew that I would have to get my own insurance as soon as that job ended. Actually, the insurance company counted the number of times I had gone to the doctor and charged me more based on those visits. The insurance companies are absolutely unreasonable. In fact, I had seen a doctor for tests so that I would not have to have those tests under my own private plan. It's a horrible system. The insurance companies get you coming or going. They are monstrous. Let's get a public alternative or a single payer plan.

[newinnm]

21. Is the a group plan?

If it is then there is no penalty for preexisting conditions.

-nnnm

[Lisa0825]

24. Not necessarily true.

I am on my employer's group plan (BCBS), and if I couldn't provide proof of prior insurance, I would not be covered for pre-existing conditions for 6 months.

[Burma Jones]

26. I can see why

For example, my Doctor uses two different automated Blood Pressure Monitors. One of them invariably measures my Blood Pressure about 30 points high both Systolic and Diastolic. This happened on two visits over the last few years. Each time, the Physician read my BP manually and came up with my normal BP which is around 125/75. My Physician promptly went through my chart to see whether there were high BP readings entered by the nurse, not a Physician. When these were found, she amended these records to ensure that my records did not indicate that I had High Blood Pressure. She did this because she wanted to make sure that insurance companies could not mistakenly tag me with a preexisting condition this was her idea, not mine, but I have been quite vigilant about making sure my medical records are accurate.

Bottom Line, Insurance Companies exist to make a profit which is most effectively done by denying health care, so you have to be extremely cautious in how you use them.

[GinaMaria]

39. makes too much sense

You will eventually pay for utilization of the benefit. Utilization is monitored and measured every which way possible. They will recoup what they have paid out in claims for your care. This is about profit not healthcare for the insurance companies.

[jhrobbins]

46. You do live in America, don't you? Apparently you've never had anything bigger than a cold.

[Enthusiast]

53. The terminal insurance industry condition,

GREED!

[urgk]

59. I think the point was that if you go in, for say, a stomach ache...

...and then three years later end up with pancreatic cancer, the insurer may try to excavate your file for evidence that the pancreatic cancer was pre-existing and deny your claim based on the stomach ache.

Makes sense to me. Especially considering the lack of thorough examination lately.

[nanram]

60. I'm also afraid to use my insurance

The caller to the WH did the best thing. Here is the real
issue with private health insurance. You need to understand a
few things about private health insurance. I have private
insurance that I purchased 6 years ago. My payment was $135 a
month at that time. It has a $5000 deductible with no
prescription plan, which, by the way, would cost much more. I
have been in good health and never had a catastrophic event to
use it. A few years ago, my doctor heard something when she
was listening to my heart during a checkup and prescribed an
EEG testing just to be safe. The test came back fine but a few
months later, my insurance went up over $100 a month. Now,
mind you, my insurance didn't pay anything for that testing
due to my $5000 deductible, which I paid, but the testing for
a possible health issue made my insurance payment rise. That's
why people who are on private health insurance are scared to
use it. Plus, when I turned 50, my insurance when up again,
plus every six months, my insurance goes up 30% to 40%. So now
I pay $685 a month for insurance. Everyone tells me why I
don't have group health through my employer. I've been working
for three different companies for two years due to layoffs, so
I can't trust getting group health. There is the issue that if
I go on group health and if, for some reason, get any
condition that could be deemed pre-existing down the road and
then I lose my job due to layoffs, there would be NO private
health insurance companies that will cover me. Already, the
EEG testing that I had is enough for some private health
insurance companies to deny me. No one should have to work
just for the health insurance. Many jobs aren't that
secure.Trust me on this one. I am a licensed health insurance
agent who knows more than I care to know how these companies
work the system. 

[stlsaxman]

64. For-profit insurance companies can and will refuse service if your needs threaten their bottom line.

They answer only to their shareholders. that's the American Way!

[hileeopnyn8d]

8. I'm impressed!

Both with your call and the way it was handled. I'm glad he asked you to describe your definition of a public option.

[goclark]

30. Keep kicked please ~~

[avaistheone1]

13. What time did you call and what time zone are you in?

When I call I am never able to get through. The line is always busy.


Thanks for calling the White House about health care - although I myself am not giving up on single-payer. The more I read the more I have come to understand that a single payer system is the only way that we are going to get any real change in health care costs and accessibility. Anything else
truly is putting lipstick on a pig.

[global1]

17. I'm In The Central TIme Zone & Called About 8:50am ......

like I indicated it took quite a few tries - but if you have patience and use your redial function on your phone you will ultimately get through. Once you get through you may be put on hold for awhile as well. But it is well worth the time and money to do.

As I indicated in my initial post - I originally was for a single payer system. After my trip to Capitol Hill on Tuesday - I realize that single payer will not happen this time around - unfortunately. I love Bernie Sanders - but we have to be realistic and perhaps compromise here. My feeling is that a government sponsored 'public option' that creates competition to the private insurers is the fall back position. Baby steps - but keep pushing forward.

I know there is a group out there that says 'single payer' or 'nothing'. In that case the private insurers are in a win-win situation. They know that there will be no 'single payer' plan coming up - so they support you when the alternative plan is nothing. What that means to them is no change - and they are cool with that.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

27. got through from Illinois, was on hold about 1 minute.

veery polite man answered.

[Life Long Dem]

22. Any bets?

President Obama including everyone?

[FrenchieCat]

29. Great advice. I suggest folks also call their senators.......

as they have the most power on this at this time!

[lindisfarne]

32. Contact info for Senate HELP and Finance Committees - call an tell them Public Option - No COOP

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=8473420
Scroll down to #11 for Senate HELP committee phone numbers.

See this article for the proposal being circulated amongst Senate Finance Committee members as of today.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/18/AR2009061804053.html

[Cha]

31. That you, global, for

taking action!

[old mark]

33. I emailed them earlier today, along with both my Dem Senators...

I told the Senators I hoped they enjoy the money they got from the insurance lobbyists.

Told the WH without a public option, there is no point in any of it.

I am pretty down about this whole thing - I honestly believed it would get done.
I don't now.

mark

[andym]

35. This is how to do it. with well-thought out comments

One needs to marshal strong arguments to make an impression.

[HughMoran]

36. K&R

Excellent example for us all - we need to call call, call!

[Canuckistanian]

37. K&R

Let's keep this kicked.

[NYC_SKP]

38. Kicked and Recommended! nt

[Darth_Ole]

40. Good start.

Now we need to call the members of the Senate Finance Committee:

MAX BAUCUS, MT
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, WV
KENT CONRAD, ND
JEFF BINGAMAN, NM
JOHN F. KERRY, MA
BLANCHE L. LINCOLN, AR
RON WYDEN, OR
CHARLES E. SCHUMER, NY
DEBBIE STABENOW, MI
MARIA CANTWELL, WA
BILL NELSON, FL
ROBERT MENENDEZ, NJ
THOMAS CARPER, DE
CHUCK GRASSLEY, IA
ORRIN G. HATCH, UT
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, ME
JON KYL, AZ
JIM BUNNING, KY
MIKE CRAPO, ID
PAT ROBERTS, KS
JOHN ENSIGN, NV
MIKE ENZI, WY
JOHN CORNYN, TX

[tblue37]

42. I would prefer a single-payer government run health plan.

I don't think we need the private insurance companies at all.

[Enthusiast]

56. +1, tblue37. Tits on a boar hog. nt

[sisters6]

70. That is what I told the woman when I called. I

called 2x--once for single payer and once of a True public option--not the phony ones put forth by congress so far.

[grillo7]

43. Nice to know the WH is listening, thanks for posting...

I respect that Obama has held firm so far on a real public option, unlike the weaklings in Congress.

[griloco]

49. Doctors booing explained.

I listened to the whole speech.
The smattering of boos, which sounded more like groans, was when Obama
ruled out capping malpractice awards.
Otherwise he was cheered and applauded often
particularly when he talked about them being healers.

the speech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTFzVY9qyQc

(left out is the rousing applause he got being introduced)

for those who are bored watch Warren Beatty's movie
Bulworth (1998) It deals with insurance reform.

[LooseWilly]

57. Thanks for the link. I looked for one on Tuesday and couldn't find it.

A wonderful speech full of sound sentiments which argues that all of my personal gripes on other subjects might just be the result of distractions that Obama faces. (I won't go so far as to dismiss all of my gripes... but I will give Obama some kudos for standing up at least for the public option he championed in the campaign... and doing so rather brilliantly....)

I hope that he is successful on the health care front. I don't personally mind dying without health insurance... but reform is definitely needed for the nation's macro-economic development (no economist... but I think that's the right terminology).

:toast:

And by the by... Bulworth is one of my favorite movies... though no one close to me seems to agree with me as to its utter brilliance. Nonetheless... I would recommend it to anyone.

[Enthusiast]

52. K&R, and I agree with your position

The President should sign no bill that does not include the public option-and I don't mean some watered down cooperative.

[quidam56]

58. We must have health care reform this year, I have seen

what is deemed, defended and supported in TN & VA as quality health care.

http://www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62

Clearly Profit Care comes ahead of Patient Care in America.

[TheCoxwain]

61. Keeping this kicked

[Kajsa]

62. You really got his attention by mentioning

the competition factor.

Well done! :applause:

K&R

[The Wizard]

65. My reply to the latest fund raising email from the DSCC

If health care with the public option fails, the Democrats can look forward to a return to minority status. As a life long Democrat I look at spineless senators whose only purpose is to do the bidding of well heeled lobbyists with utter contempt.
Not one more dime until the Democrats put people before profits.

[mvd]

66. Thanks! I will call

We need to have our voices heard, because there's a lot of ignorance out there. Just last night, my neighbors were spouting RW nonsense about how a public plan would make the U.S. "like Europe where people die waiting for operations and you can't see the doctor you choose." I think they got convinced that something needed to be done, but they still wouldn't believe me. We're up against this kind of thing.