I Just Saw an Ad For "PatientsUnitedNow.com"

[NashVegas]

On CNN.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWKqIxkup3U

FYI, Shona Holmes, the woman in the video is a famous case. She was treated at the Mayo clinic and they use her as a case study:

Shona Holmes was in trouble: The list of her symptoms included headaches, sleeplessness, dizziness, low libido and, worst of all, rapidly deteriorating vision. Her family doctor in Canada ordered an MRI, and a brain tumor was detected. But it would take months for her to get on the appointment calendar of a neurologist or endocrinologist in Canada.

"I knew in my gut that I had to see someone and could not wait five to six months," she says. So she called Mayo Clinic and got an appointment the same day.

...

Dr. Naresh Patel, neurosurgeon, diagnosed Holmes as having a Rathke's cleft cyst (RCC). The rare, fluid-filled sac grows near the pituitary gland at the base of the brain and eventually can cause hormone and vision problems. Dr. Patel joined forces with Drs. David W. Dodick, neurologist, and Michael D. Whitaker, endocrinologist, to work on Holmes' case.

Their further tests revealed an increase in the size of her cyst over a short period of time as well as progressively worsening vision. "I was concerned that the pressure on Shona's nerves were causing her to become blind," says Dr. Patel. "We needed to remove the cyst to save her vision."

Her TV commercial script SHOULD say: "I could have died if my tumor was malignent." But it wasn't. It wasn't even a tumor - it was a cyst.

PS - I wish we could find out if the Canadian government paid for the surgery, etc.



The organization behind it is being dug into by several others. Some findings:

From The Wonk Room on Think Progress: http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/05/27/pun/

Now, operating under the name Patients United Now, Americans for Prosperity — which is mostly funded by large multinational corporations — is masquerading as an organic grassroots movement outraged over the Presidents health care proposals:

After orchestrating and funding the so-called Tea Parties movement, Americans for Prosperity — a nationwide front group founded and funded by the right-wing polluter Koch Industries — is launching an ad campaign characterizing President Obama’s effort to reform the health care system as a government take-over that will ration care and care and deny treatments.

Americans for Prosperity is notorious for its fake grassroots efforts, funneling millions of dollars into conservative campaigns designed to undermine Democratic initiatives. As Lee Fang put it, “AFP is a professional AstroTurf machine”:

- Hosted ‘Drill Baby, Drill’ rallies around the country.

- Financed Joe the Plumber’s tour against the Employees’ Free Choice Act and other anti-EFCA rallies.

- Started NoStimulus.com, “a grassroots website that we hope will be a focal point for the widespread frustration ordinary Americans feel at the runaway government growth that we see during good economic times and bad.”

[BlooInBloo]

1. "malignant."

[baldguy]

2. I wonder how much the insurance cartel paid her to lie?

[johnaries]

3. Sourcewatch.org has some very interesting info on AFP.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_For_Prosperity

And let us all remember, we are not wanting to "socialize" health care, just make sure people can pay for it.

[provis99]

4. she doesn't sound too grateful that the Canadian gov't paid for her treatment

Let her try to pay the $100--$150k this would have cost an American, and see how much she hates Canadian healthcare.

[NashVegas]

5. So .. the Canadian Gov't DID Pay Her Bill?

Or is that just an assumption?

[ColbertWatcher]

16. Denver Post says ... YES!

http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_12523427

(DU thread http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6106185&mesg_id=6106185 )

[Spazito]

19. No, the Ontario government did NOT pay her bill nor should they have...

because she chose to go to the Mayo Clinic when treatment was available in Canada. She met NONE of the criteria that would have had the government covering the costs:

If a Canadian goes outside of the country to get services that are deemed medically necessary, not experimental, and are not available at home for whatever reason (e.g., shortage or absence of high tech medical equipment; a longer wait for service than is medically prudent; or lack of physician expertise), the provincial government where you live fully funds your care.

The services were available in Canada, the wait (whatever it REALLY was vs what Ms. Hughes and her handlers say it was) was NOT longer than was medically prudent and there was NO lack of physician expertise.

[ColbertWatcher]

20. I sit corrected. n/t

[Spazito]

22. If I came across rudely, it was not my intent at all...

I am very glad to see your threads with the factual information on healthcare, both in US and Canada. This woman actually used her 'case' to take the Ontario government to court trying to, primarily, destroy universal healthcare in favor of privatization and was sponsored by a rabid right wing organization to do it. Part of her claim was for damages, financial and otherwise. She is a real piece of work and, sometimes, I tend to react in a manner that could use more tact when it comes to her and her obscene sham.

[ColbertWatcher]

25. No offense taken.

I just mis-spoke (posted?)

[ColbertWatcher]

21. Perhaps YOU'd like to take a shot at Shona's truthiness page?

I started an encycloptic page for Miss Shona on the Truthiness Encyclopedia (here) and have invited DUers to come over and make fun of the tool.

Before you start editing, make sure you register a free account so no one can see your IP address.

If you have any questions, drop me an note!

[Spazito]

23. Thanks for the link and I have done as you advised and opened an account..

I intend to keep researching info about her as well as those who have been sponsoring her and will add anything that will expose her for sure.

[ColbertWatcher]

24. I've added all the links from two threads and all it needs is someone to make jokes. n/t

[Spazito]

27. LOL, now I have to admit my total lack of knowledge when it comes to..

how to go about doing that (making a joke on the site). Do I simply click on edit and then type my thoughts? I am totally wiki clueless, lol.

[ColbertWatcher]

28. Yes, don't worry about formatting the text, that will come. n/t

[Spazito]

29. Thanks! n/t

[dflprincess]

8. Mayo Clinic is "in network" for the Canadian system?

I know people who live in Minnesota who have insurance that won't pay for Mayo.

What a pity there isn't a group that could use this woman's story - but add that Canada paid (assuming it did) and then talk about the people who live an hour or so away from the clinic who can't get care there.

[Spazito]

9. From what I have been able to research,,,

the Ontario government did not pay which actually makes the woman's story smell even more foul. The government did not pay because the woman COULD have gotten the care in Canada yet she CHOSE to go to the Mayo Clinic instead. It is interesting, to say the least, that she had the Mayo Clinic on 'speed-dial' and called them the SAME day she saw her doctor, according to her AND, even more interesting, the Clinic got her in the VERY NEXT day.

I remember the Mayo Clinic was not near as efficient nor compassionate with Andy Stephenson and his case was MUCH MORE critical.

[dflprincess]

10. Yeah, I can't quite seeing the Mayo getting anyone in the next day

unless it was a real life or death situation.

My friend's husband (whose insurance did cover Mayo) had to wait nearly two weeks to get in there with a cancer diagnosis that more often than not ends badly and his doctor in Minneapolis was the one arranging the appointment, not him trying to set it up himself (things ended well for him).

Not to mention, she had her travel arrangements to make. She must have money because you know how the airlines gouge usually gouge you when you try to make a reservation on short notice (assuming she flew, she could have driven but that would take longer).

[Spazito]

13. Yes, her whole 'story' smells beyond belief, imo

and couple that with the organizations showcasing her 'experience' and it is clear this is crappola propaganda based on lies.

[blogslut]

6. Site is owned by "Americans for Prosperity"

http://www.dnsstuff.com/tools/whois/?tool_id=66&token=&toolhandler_redirect=0&ip=PatientsUnitedNow.com

Domain name: patientsunitednow.com

Registrant Contact:
Americans for Prosperity
Richard Myslinski ()

Fax:
1726 M Street NW
10th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
US

Administrative Contact:
Americans for Prosperity
Richard Myslinski ***********@afphq.org)
+1.2023495880
Fax: [phone]
1726 M Street NW
10th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
US

Technical Contact:
Americans for Prosperity
Richard Myslinski ***********@afphq.org)
+1.2023495880
Fax: [phone]
1726 M Street NW
10th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
US

Status: Locked

Name Servers:
dns1.registrar-servers.com
dns2.registrar-servers.com
dns3.registrar-servers.com

Creation date: 03 May 2009 06:40:15
Expiration date: 03 May 2010 06:40:15

Americans for Prosperity is hosted on the SMARTECH server:

http://whois.domaintools.com/americansforprosperity.org

Whois Record

Domain ID:D101890689-LROR
Domain Name:AMERICANSFORPROSPERITY.ORG
Created On:24-Oct-2003 22:10:12 UTC
Last Updated On:25-Sep-2008 11:09:16 UTC
Expiration Date:24-Oct-2009 22:10:12 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar:eNom, Inc. (R39-LROR)
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Registrant ID:DA13682-BR
Registrant Name:DNS Administrator
Registrant Organization:Americans for Prosperity
Registrant Street1:1726 M Street, NW
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:Washington
Registrant State/Province:DC
Registrant Postal Code:20036
Registrant Country:US
Registrant Phone:[phone]
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email:
Admin ID:DA13682-BR
Admin Name:DNS Administrator
Admin Organization:Americans for Prosperity
Admin Street1:1726 M Street, NW
Admin Street2:
Admin Street3:
Admin City:Washington
Admin State/Province:DC
Admin Postal Code:20036
Admin Country:US
Admin Phone:[phone]
Admin Phone Ext.:
Admin FAX:
Admin FAX Ext.:
Admin Email:
Tech ID:JA3218-BR
Tech Name:DNS Administrator
Tech Organization:SMARTech Corp
Tech Street1:PO Box 11181
Tech Street2:
Tech Street3:
Tech City:Chattanooga
Tech State/Province:TN
Tech Postal Code:37401
Tech Country:US
Tech Phone:[phone]
Tech Phone Ext.:
Tech FAX:[phone]
Tech FAX Ext.:
Tech Email:
Name Server:NS1.CHA.SMARTECHCORP.NET
Name Server:NS2.CHA.SMARTECHCORP.NET

SMARTECH is the official host for the RNC/GOP:

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=SMARTech_Corporation

Republican Party

Web hosting

In March 2004, SMARTech CEO Jeff Averbeck told Dave Flessner of the Chattanooga Times Free Press that the company had "dedicated six Web servers to handle the business" and he was already "negotiating for more broadband capacity to handle the growing demand for electronic political information." <2>

In August 2004, SMARTech hosted the Republican National Convention in New York City. <3>

The company also hosts the Bush-Cheney '04 Inc. campaign web site www.georgewbush.com, which now redirects to the Republican National Committee's website www.GOP.com. <4> Another web site that redirects to the RNC is GOPteamleader.com...

You might also remember SMARTECH's involvement in the scandal concerning White House staff sending/receiving emails via the @gwb43.com account:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwb43.com

The administration officials have been using a private Internet domain, called gwb43.com, owned by and hosted on an e-mail server run by the Republican National Committee,<5> for various communications of unknown content or purpose. The domain name is an acronym standing for "George W. Bush, 43rd" President of the United States. The server came public when it was discovered that J. Scott Jennings, the White House's deputy director of political affairs, was using a gwb43.com e-mail address to discuss the firing of the U.S. attorney for Arkansas.<6> Communications by federal employees were also found on georgewbush.com and rnchq.org, but unlike these two servers, gwb43.com has no Web server connected to it — it is used only for e-mail.<7>

The "gwb43.com" domain name was publicized by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), who sent a letter to Oversight and Government Reform Committee committee chairman Henry A. Waxman requesting an investigation.<8> Waxman sent a formal warning to the RNC, advising them to retain copies of all e-mails sent by White House employees. According to Waxman, "in some instances, White House officials were using nongovernmental accounts specifically to avoid creating a record of the communications."<9> The Republican National Committee claims to have erased the emails, supposedly making them unavailable for Congressional investigators.<10>

On April 12, 2007, White House spokesman Scott Stanzel stated that White House staffers were told to use RNC accounts to "err on the side of avoiding violations of the Hatch Act, but they should also retain that information so it can be reviewed for the Presidential Records Act," and that "some employees ... have communicated about official business on those political email accounts."<11> Stanzel also said that even though RNC policy since 2004 has been to retain all emails of White House staff with RNC accounts, the staffers had the ability to delete the email themselves.

[Spazito]

7. This woman is a willing patsy for the HMOs/Insurance Companies...

There is NO question in my mind this was all nicely set up by those, including this woman, who not only want to be able continue to gouge the American public but also to get their greedy hands back into the Canadian healthcare 'market'.

[Gwendolyn]

11. She's just trying to recoup the $95,000.00 she had to shell out for the BENIGN cyst

surgery she had in the US. When she's being interviewed in Canada, she says she loves the healthcare system, just that she wanted faster service. Fine. The fact is that she did get to see a Canadian doctor in between who told her she needed more tests, but she decided to go ahead and have her surgery done in the States rather than wait two extra weeks. Her cyst was not life threatening, and the surgery usually restores all vision once it's removed. I'm no doctor but that's what I've read. So yeah, she's selling out a lot of Americans for her own financial gains. Those people she's trying to shove under the bus won't have an opportunity to make back the $100,000+ cost of their treatment by starring in propaganda commercials.

[Spazito]

30. Yep, as well trying to discredit universal healthcare...

Her sponsors in Canada are a rabid right wing organization wanting to privatize healthcare here. I have little doubt they are 'helping' her with her 'debt'.

[The Wielding Truth]

12. Thanks for posting this. I saw this commercial on CNN and

really wondered about it's credibility. It's quite slick and powerful. Money buys believable lies. They should be made to run a disclaimer!

[spanone]

14. she called the mayo and got an appointment the same day??? B U L L S H I T

[NashVegas]

15. kick

[ColbertWatcher]

17. Shona wiki-truthy-tube just waiting for your jokes ...

Click here

Please register a free account first (so no one can see your IP address!)

[Blue Idaho]

18. Astro Turf Assholes

The only way to combat these lies is a real grass roots effort to demand real change NOW. These folks don't care about the truth - they only care about protecting a racket that guarantees Billions for the health care & insurance industries. They will spend millions on bogus ads and congressional payola to protect their scheme.

Call, write, and email your elected officials and demand reform NOW. Let your elected representatives know this is a deal breaker. No health care reform - not more votes for them. If they think they have more to lose by voting no - we may just get change we need.

[mitchum]

26. Shona The Shill

[KingFlorez]

31. The problem is cost

And this ad completely misses the issue. If you can afford to have surgery, then you can't have it, I sure would rather go through a waiting period than not be able to pay for the surgery I needed.