This is harsh

[Puppyjive]

Do you want to know why I support health care reform? My sister's husband spent over a year in Afghanistan with the Army National Guard. When he returned, his insurance was promptly dropped. He began working for the US Forest Service and became a firefighter. While he was fighting fires, he developed a hernia that was very painful for him. The Forest Service did not provide him insurance, so he had to make a workman's compensation claim to get medical care. His regular doctor refused to treat him because it was a workman's comp claim. All he needed was a referral to a specialist, but the doctor refused treatment and he had to suffer for several weeks. I finally called the doctor's office and told them what I thought. "Our country can send a soldier to war, but it can't treat them if they become uninsured, because their life doesn't matter." I went on. "A fireman can fight fires in the worst conditions, and save lives, homes and property, but you cannot treat them for a work related injury?" Before I hung up, I told them that "the next time we have a fire that is out of control, I hope it's not your house, because if it were me, I would let it burn." The attitudes changed rather quickly and the doctor changed her tune. Please write your Congressmen and tell them your stories. We have to spell it out for them because they cannot see the forest through the trees.

[baldguy]

1. Life & death, pain & suffering. We live in a harsh world.

We should strive to make it less so.

K&R

[Raster]

3. Amen!

:kick:

[Why Syzygy]

2. In our state

you can see any doctor you want for worker's comp. No referral is required. Different in his state?

[Cleita]

17. In California the companies want you to see their company doctor.

You can get assignment though from the company's personnel office if you see the patient first. They hate it but they have to give you the policy number and the insurer regardless.

[madmax]

4. Puppyjive you handled that brilliantly!

These bastards, both dr's and insurance companies can screw us around all they want and only those who have our health and/or life in the balance can truly understand how frightening this situation is. Thanks - you spoke for me, too. :fistbump:

[madmax]

5. K & R n/t

[uppityperson]

6. If injured on the job it was a workman's comp/l&i injury

Even if he'd had insurance, it would not have paid for his hernia. That is what l&i is for, workman's comp is for. On the job injuries.

About his doctor refusing to treat him. L&I/workman's comp, like many other insurance companies, has a list of providers they have certified to provide care.

Here in WA I am a L&I provider for massage therapy. In order to get certified, I had to prove I was licensed, had liability insurance, worked in a reputable setting, basically was a professional knowing what I was doing. I had to fill out forms and wait for them to check me out.

Doing care on L&I people involves paperwork and time. Many do not want to (as I have heard it put ) "waste our time" doing what the insurance company requires. There is a private L&I insurance company in WA that is a real pain to deal with, one of those out to make money vs provide services. The State L&I people have been very nice and helpful, have run across only 1 obstructive asshole in the last 10 yrs.

The doctor may not have been a preferred provider, may not have been on the list. BUT they certainly should have been able to refer you to one who was. Also, at least here in WA, on the L&I claim and card (with case number) there is a phone number to call to ask for help.

This is information for next time, or for others who may run into this situation. If you need further assistance, please pm me and I'll help as I can.

[glowing]

7. I had an accident at a chem. lab.. Burned my chest when chems exploded all down my front.

my breasts were burned so badley, it hurt to move. I had to beg my company to allow me to go thru workman's comp.. then had to use a list of Docs that were not my own. I have large breasts.. the first thing the Doc asked if my second job was dancing in a gentleman's club... I could have changed docs, but it had taken so long to get the original.. and I was trying to heal and prevent as much scarring as I could.

[truedelphi]

8. Hearts break when they read your story. It is a sad one and a horrible commentary

On our society.

A physician is suppsoed to "first do no harm!"

And what would be the problem to simply offer a referral? It would take maybe two minutes of the person's time.

The other sad thng is there are some decent doctors out there. Tis ends up reflecting onall doctors. I hope yourbrother in law ends up with a doc who goes that extra mile. It sounds like he has gone the extra mile for us.

[grantcart]

9. In 1998 my wife found to have growths on her uterus

Our expensive insurance would not approve.


The doctor picked up the phone and yelled at the clerk on the otherside "if you don't immediately approve of this operation I am hanging up the phone and call the district attorney and have you charged with attempted murder".



He put down the phone, his face still beet red and said, "I have to do that about three times a month."


Having just returned from living outside the US I was stunned.

[mwooldri]

10. Yet another reason why the USA needs a National Health Service. eom.

[Pacifist Patriot]

21. Indeed. As an aside...I love your sig.

[bread_and_roses]

11. Oh, our congresscritters see the forest perfectly well....

If they are Rs, they are fighting the solution on two grounds: ideological - they know that even a successful public option (much more so single payer) will be a death knell for their anti-common-good ideology; and greed - they love the perks and $$$ from the big insurers and pharmacuticals.

If they are Ds, they are simply bought and sold by big pharma and and the insurance vampires.

All the debate and obfuscation is all to protect money and power.

Other than that, well done - you vividly illustrate the delay, pain, and suffering endured by millions every day - insured and uninsured.

[Triana]

12. You could send this story here too:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/health-care-action-center/#story

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

13. I haven't had insurance since 2003 - but our congressmen all have ins

and it is scary.

[femrap]

14. Good for you!!!

Honestly, America has become one huge bureaucratic fight. Because I'm a fighter, I usually win. I'm like a pit bull who has taken hold of a chew toy. I don't quit.

That is what it takes to get justice/fairness in this country. I write letters to CEOs; I make phone calls over and over and over; I use threats; I use insults; I use shame; I use publicity; I will stop at nothing until I feel I have received justice....which usually involves getting my money back.

Don't let these doctors scare you....there are good doctors out there....just find them and they will help you. Hell, I've showed up at a doctor's office (who was an ass) and started ranting about how I was treated....people left!!!! There is still Free Speech, right?

If I know I'm right, I stop at nothing. It's a damn shame that it has come to this. It has created in me a total lack of trust in others. It's tiring. But...when I get my money back, or a bill canceled...I realize that my efforts work.

Pit bull & Pitchforks!!

I should make a biz out of this....help others get their fair share of justice!

[TheMadMonk]

16. Nye Kulturni works in any industry.

Russian for uncultured, it's essentially the practice of embarrassing the hell out of people in their own domain.

My prefered method is to wait for a number of customers and then adopt a tone that is just a bit louder than conversational and "explain" my problem (in most cases a refusal to honour a warranty) as if talking to a small child.

Some "get it" right away, some it takes a customer or two walking out the door for them to see the light and give me satisfaction. A big plus is my blood pressure doesn't go through the roof, whilst I get the satisfaction of watching theirs skyrocket.

[femrap]

24. I, too, have very low

blood pressure....sometimes, they think I'm dead it's so low.

Nye Kulturni...I must remember that. Very cool.

[Turbineguy]

15. Nicely played!

[Iwillnevergiveup]

18. My uninsured brother in Wisconsin

also suffered from a hernia. His Canadian girlfriend ended up getting him the treatment he needed in her country. Never got all the details, but he's okay now and that's all that counts as far as I'm concerned.

[earcandle]

19. Kudos! thanks for taking care by speaking out!

[Soylent Brice]

20. ironically enough, there are millions of stories ike these.

your sister's husband is far from alone. we can't stop pushing until real health care reform happens.

welcome to DU.:hi:

[Bluenorthwest]

22. People like your husband make the world better

Insurance Companies and that "doctor" make the world worse.

[raccoon]

23. k&R nt