I’ve signed up to visit Senator Susan Collins’ office at noon on Friday. It’s right across the street from my workplace so it’s easy enough for me to do on my lunch hour, and I have my own personal story to tell her. I’d LOVE to be able to give her other peoples’ stories too–INUNDATE her, if possible, since as one of the few moderate Republicans in the Senate she’s a key vote on healthcare reform. If you have something you want me to pass on, please contact me through TuDiabetes.com and I’ll take it with me. You have till Thursday evening!
Personally, I’d like to know the thoughts on tort reform and defensive medicine as cost drivers
My daughter’s situation is a good example of why we need real healthcare reform. She is 31, single, and worked at a car dealership for 9 years. This year, as a consequence of the Chrysler bankruptcy, she lost her job when the dealership closed. COBRA is not an option for her because the company went out of business. The following day, she discovered that she is pregnant with her first child!
So, after being in the workforce productively for more than 10 years, because her healthcare was employer-provided, she is on Medicare for her pregnancy care, labor, & delivery.
Because nearly all her work experience has been in car dealerships & that industry is hurting so badly, she is returning to school to learn to work in the (irony!!) healthcare field.
There is something fundamentally wrong with a system that ties healthcare to employment & has little or no safety net if one’s employment situation changes.
I’m visiting my congressman tomorrow at noon, too. But, they ALL need to hear from us!
I just completed my visit and talked with Sen. Collins’ staffer, gave him some printouts of the stories and opinions I had for her, and basically cried my way through the ten-minute visit. It was cathartic. Hope it works!