Something that the founder of RAM said in the NPR piece really hit home for me — and ought to be shoved in the face of every dismissive asshat inside the Beltway:

Medical, dental and vision help is often elusive for the 2,700 people seeking treatment during the three-day RAM event. Just over half of the people attending this year have no insurance at all, according to a survey of the patients conducted by RAM. Forty-seven percent could be considered underinsured, given unaffordable copays or gaps in coverage provided by Medicare, Medicaid and conventional insurance plans. Only 11 patients have dental insurance, and just seven have vision coverage.

“There’s no doubt about it. There is a Third World right here in the United States,” concludes Stan Brock, RAM’s founder. Brock has organized similar medical expeditions in Asia, Africa and South America. “Here in the world’s richest country, you have this vast number of people, some say 47 million, 49 million, that don’t have access to the system and that’s why [this] is necessary.”

Oh, Christy. It’s all so complicated and sad. Listening to some discussion on the tv about the racist aspects of last weeks story on Gates’ arrest, my husband and I have just had a long talk about how the Context of a situation affects all the decisions and actions made. Bottom line is we really can’t judge the whys and hows of a lot of what other people do. Here, you point out the actualities of the health care crisis. Children are suffering because of a lack of compassion and an unfair focus on greed by corporations.
As you said in your previous post…How to break through that is tough. How to make something really work is even tougher.
It’s a large kettle of fish and I guess we can only shoot one fish in the barrel at a time. Thank you for focusing on each of the problems, one at a time. I appreciate all the hard work you do.

In my mind, putting a human face on this is really, really important.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea that LizH had the other day about face-to-face meetings with memebrs of Congress over the August recess. I think it is a fantastic idea, and I’m trying to figure out how to make it work for all of us.

So the CEO of Independence Blue in Philly gets to have an op-ed printed in today’s paper: “Build on what is working” with a nice little text box insert: “Health-care reform must not penalize the 80 percent of Americans who are satisfied with their current coverage.”

We know who the Inky is in the tank for—no news there.

Of course what he doesn’t mention are little items having to do with things like how many people are afraid of losing their coverage along with their job or are almost COBRA’d out? Or how many people are holding on to jobs they hate because they need the health coverage. Or how many currently satisfied customers are about to find out that their coverage really doesn’t cover whatever it is they become ill with? OR those who go into bankruptcy because of medical bills? Or the tidy fact that the last reported compensation figure given for Mr. Joseph A. Frick (the CEO) was $2.94 million.

I’m so glad it’s working for him.

It’s going to work for me at Netroots Nation when Sestak and Scrapple face off. I’ll be there in their faces.

I have noticed that the in-person interaction with so many of these electeds at Netroots Nation and elsewhere can be so useful. For them and for their staffs.

I try to stay in touch with staffers that I meet at those functions precisely because having a contact who lives outside the Beltway can be a real perspective for them that they don’t always get otherwise. And I’m the sort of pain in the rear end who tells them what I’m actually thinking — which is also not what a lot of them are used to, albeit I do it politely, having been raised by a granny and parents who taught me manners.

But I do think being asked tough questions or being put on the spot about factual discrepancies is important — and it happens far too infrequently in far too many of their lives. That reminder that they work for us is really key.

Yep, especially when we know what happens when we “dehumanize the other” — ie. the discussion about hate speech and resulting (?) violent action.
I’d be interested in your conclusive thoughts about face to face meetings with reps. You remember when I went with Loo Hoo to visit Issa’s deputy? What I really came away with from that meeting was just how very different in thought and values he was from Loo Hoo and me. It was very discouraging. I know that we have to have the skinny, that this knowledge should inspire me to action. I’m open to others thoughts on this, and in itself, we could have a lively discussion here on what inspires us to try and affect change.

I’ve found Sestak to actually be a pretty good listener. There are a number of things (some big ones like FISA) that we don’t agree about but lots more that we do. And I do send him information when I think it would be useful. His health care LA is a smart young (aren’t they all) guy who came from SEICUS and both gets it and is receptive.

Scrapple? Feh

Although they are perfect a-holes, I would bet good money that Baucus and Grassley since they turned 50 have had regularly scheduled colonoscopies. I wonder if they think an uninsured person can walk in an emergency room and get one.

Now, when the polyps turn cancerous, the uninsured person can be wheeled into the emergency room and we can spend several hundred thousand dollars treating
the cancer.

The screening and testing the uninsured miss out on and the human suffering and cost that results is what so many fail to recognize.

There’s an incredibly poignant part of the YouTube linked above talking to a woman who has cancer which is found via tests at the free clinic — and trying to find her follow-up medical care for it because she has family to care for and any number of other connected issues.

On the one hand, we are already paying for so much of this through ER visits for uninsureds anyway. And the early testing and catching things before they spread too far or diseases before they get too difficult is so important — and far more cost conscious. But none of the practical side appears to get through on the discussion on this. It’s beyond infuriating.

I think you’ve hit on something. I remember during a specific phone campaign a couple of years ago, there were some commenters who were sharing their phone call experiences, that the staffers didn’t take their comments seriously and in some cases hung up on them. I pointed out that we should be nice and civil on the phones and some here really got angry with me. They didn’t see the You catch more flies with honey than vinegar aspect of communication.
Not everyone has the ability to have a face to face with their rep with the communication skills that you and Jane (and others, to be fair), the wherewithall to, as you say, asktough questions or being put [them] on the spot about factual discrepancies .
If you choose to lead a Summer Tour, perhaps a small seminar on affective skills might be offered here. Maybe a sort of Script that folks could follow, with specific facts, data and questions. Just wondering out loud how to make such a campaign as successful as possible. What do you think?

I do remember that meeting, and how it was so obvious that Issa’s staffer didn’t really care what you all had to say because his belief system was the opposite and all that really seemed to matter to him.

Even though you may not have changed his mind, it is instructive to do something like that if for no other reason than to get an idea of where individual reps stand. And to make certain they have no excuse to say “I didn’t know” about a vote — when they absolutely, positively did because you’ve made certain that they heard it from one of their own constituents.

That does have value in terms of electoral accountability in the long run, I think.

I can completely respect someone having a different opinion, so long as they are open to actual discussion and back and forth instead of being closed-minded and refusing to discuss points and counterpoints on all the sides of things.

I always come off thinking like I’m dealing with a troll mindset with electeds and staffers who have a “my way or the highway” attitude in discussions. I try to have an open mind when I’m discussing things and not be rigid like that, and I appreciate it when I get that same respectful attitude in exchange.

It’s good to know Sestak has been open to discussion with you. My experience has been that he is willing to listen to facts and arguments — but that he’s also committed to making up his own mind based on his own criteria, and I think that’s more than fair. And more than we get from far too few people these days in public discourse, sad to say.

I think that could be really helpful — and I’ll think about ways to do that going forward, too.

I have had some success in developing relationships with congresscritters in the past. Last month I spent 15 to 20 minutes in a one on one with Sen. Michael Bennet – I developed a bit of rapport in that my ex was working out of Janet Reno’s office when he was at DOJ. I plan to meet with him again over the recess and if I am satisfied will work on his campaign. I also plan to meet with my congresscritter, Ed Perlmutter this weekend as well as my state rep.

And a little funny thing of note:

My dachshund is snoring so fricking loudly right now.

I kept hearing this noise and couldn’t figure out what in the hell it was. It sounded like my A/C was being run over a cheese grater. But it’s my dog!

Being an old doggie is not an easy thing.

Have I said yet how much I hate these people?

We had to pass legislation here in New Mexico to require (yeah, that’s right, require) health insurance companies pay at least 80% of their premium income in benefits.

In other words, we could immediately squeeze about 18% of the costs of health care out of the NM system by putting for-profits out of business. That’s with no structural changes at all.

Nationally, the indemnity ratio (claims payment / premium receipts) is under 80%.

Excellent! Have you thought about doing a write-up of the meetings and popping it on The Seminal or sending it to me and I’ll do something with it?

I love it when people do stuff like this, and I’d be more than happy to post some notes about how things go.

Insurance companies make money by finding ways to not pay claims. Sad, but true.

I loved the part in The Incredibles where the boss is yelling at Mr. Incredible for having the audacity to help customers through the bureaucratic maze of red tape and fine print.

Again, several years ago, I was at a panel discussion in Santa Monica. Robert Greenwald was there and some other folks. It was quite a large event and there was a question and answer period. About 3/4 of the folks looked like they just got out of bed. Hair unwashed, tee shirts with sayings like Fuck You or something. It reinforced for me that how we present ourselves is really going to have a determining affect on how our appearance is going to be a filter in terms of how we are heard. No offense to DFHs. Like reading Job Interview Tip articles. One suggestion for applicants was “Don’t go to the interview drunk.” Hear what I’m saying? Really just trying to be helpful. *g*

I always laugh at myself at those things, because I can’t get the “lawyer dressing” mentality out of my mind when I get ready for something like that.

But I’ve never really been a jeans at a public event person, even when it’s completely appropriate. It’s just not me.

But it is for other folks — and I do think that a polite attitude goes a long, long way no matter what someone might be wearing. (Except for a “fuck you” t-shirt. I’m not certain a polite attitude gets around that. *g*)

I hear you, completely. Just saying, maybe as one of the suggestions in a Getting Ready To Meet Your Rep seminar might be 1) Consider leaving that I Hate My Fucking Rep t-shirt in the closet. Doesn’t mean you have to wear a suit. (I bet Rev Deb doesn’t wear her pj’s in the pulpit.) I hope you know what I’m saying.

I hope you don’t think I’m focusing on the appearance aspect only. Another tip might be for folks to familiarize themselves with the Rep’s website. It would be a great place to start.
Now, I’m off to the gym. Not to look great, but because it’s gets my circulation going and gives me the strength to make it through the day.
PS There’s lots and lots of big yellow flowers on the squash vines. We know what’s coming next. Yay.

Christy,

am so sorry I missed this thread in real time – I can not get these suffering Appalachians out of my head – and have used my anger and outrage to fuel more calls and LTE’s. I have been using the pics in all my follow up e-mails and facebook tagging.

RAM’s next scheduled event is Los Angeles 8 days, and their first foray in to a major metro location.

hoping all S. Calif Public Option advocates will be there to bring the heat on all S Cal Blue Dogs and the Weasel Worders

daughter cbl and boyfriend to volunteer as placeholders and computer geeks

Need to get some Congresscritters to show up at this and talk to some of the folks.

Also some of the pundits who keep telling us, in response to the numbers of uninsured, that “most” of those are uninsured “by choice.”
Lasso ‘em and drag ‘em along. They really need to see the real people, suffering, as you say.

I left some notes on that subject below.

We could use a few Mr. Incredibles in Congress and infiltrating the insurance companies.

And I take it that you recommend I not wear my Fascism Sucks tee shirt to meet with Congresscritter Teague’s staffer? (Just kidding. I wear a tie and slacks to those things.)

maybe that should be the new strategy – if the insurers won’t stop blocking healthcare reform then we should consider threatening to start lobbying for comprehensive insurance industry reform, and not just restricted to healthcare. As in rate regulation, executive compensation controls, profitability caps, restrictions on what businesses they can be in or enter (AIG excesses anybody?), Federal oversight of actuarial decisions, anti-trust, etc., etc. Anything to make them cry uncle and stop blocking the national interest.

BTW, the so-called “public option” in the just-announced House bill is a fake. They weakened it to the point of “why bother?”

Screw the for profit. RAM could be multiplied 5000 times.

The political sphere can’t fix this. Take the money out of it and the Libertarians could be out libertarianed by several orders of magnitude.

Support a Public Option
Current Signature Count: 84,935

Nearly 50 million Americans — one-in-six of our fellow citizens — lack health insurance. Even those families lucky enough to have health insurance have seen their premiums triple in the past decade. America’s health care system is in a crisis, and it’s time to do something about it.

This month, Congress is working on new reform legislation that will make quality health care available and affordable for all Americans. We support a public health insurance option that would foster greater competition in the marketplace, create more choices for consumers, and lead to lower costs and better quality for all. But we know the forces of the status quo will battle us every step of the way.

Please sign this online petition, showing your support of Congress’ work to reform America’s health care system now.

Thank you,

Senator Dick Durbin Senator Patrick Leahy Senator Chuck Schumer

Please sign this petition for a public option to health care reform. http://citizensforapublicoption.com/

Just 2 minutes ago Sean Hannity said to his 13 million listeners that America has the greatest health care in the world.

He’s very popular and his show is a big success. He lives in an 8.5 million dollar home in New York state.

He is a Catholic.

Hi Christy,

A heartbreaking story about our country and the reality that millions of our fellow citizens face on a daily basis.

I’ve caught some posts that you and demi have exchanged. I found a website that may give some pointers in meeting with a representative.

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/…..etreps.htm

I would add to know their opposition, the rep’s position and somewhere in the federal benefits listed online – is a list of all the subsidized health care that our beloved Congresscritters get. My bottom argument is, “I want what you have – a subsidized public health plan.” I overhear people all over speaking about keeping the government out of health care, but they don’t understand their elected reps are wallowing in their taxpayer’s money with subsidized government health care.

My husband is on disability with a degenerative brain disease, we have two adopted children with significant special needs. We are blessed with good insurance and Medicare but our out of pocket expenses were still tens of thousands of dollars last year. I would give anything to have citizenship in Denmark or France. I’m so exhausted of being an American and fighting the corrupt system. Since I can’t afford vacation anymore, I’m more than happy to march in the street all of August for Health Care Rights.

Thanks so much for all you do.

Best,

LizH

Isn’t it amazing you can live in this country and make million$$ while talking for months about Bill Ayres…..isn’t that scary? It is to me. (Plus adding in a few cynical comments about the way Michelle Obama hates this country). Barf….

Christy, thank you again for keeping after this.

I think there will be a lot of media coverage of the LA event during the break. I hope the debate will continue to rage all the time these lackluster reps are home.

I cannot say how depressed and angry I am at the lies and pandering to insurance companies. Even more, I am just furious at the Democrats who can Never Get Enough representation to buck up. It is beyond discouraging.

I did not think I could ever be more depressed than after November 2004. But these people may send me over the edge again.

The AARP website had an article on this health fair. Here’s a quote from the article:

Many patients leaned conservative in their politics and ironically, though they were getting health care free in a fairground, didn’t want the federal government doing anything about it. “All they’ll do is mess it up beyond what it is already,” said one patient. “Let ‘em stay out of it and stop spending what we don’t have.”

Sigh.

Gee, all I know is Bill Kristol says Americans don’t deserve the best health care, so there you go. /s As if he gets to determine that.

Hey Liz, if you are still checking this thread. John Amato at Crooksandliars.com is collecting medical hardship stories at his site. He asking every day Americans to do a small video and send it in to him.

I don’t know if you have the time, energy and resources to do that, but I wanted to put it out there all the same.

Good luck to you and your family.

It’s easy to say that when he means that the US has the best health care business in the world, making tons of money and keeping Wall Street happy. There is some truth in that.

AUGUST 11 – AUGUST 18, 2009
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
at
THE FORUM in INGLEWOOD
3900 W Manchester Blvd

beginning at 5:30AM daily

To provide free MEDICAL, VISION, and DENTAL care for uninsured, underinsured, unemployed, under-employed persons

RAM needs
Medical Doctors (all specialties) and Nurses,
Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, Opticians, Ophthalmic Techs, Paramometry Techs,
General Dentists, Oral Surgery, Pediatric Dentistry, Registered Dental Hygienists, Dental Assistants.

http://www.ramusa.org/

a little sunshine on this during the recess???

If RAM had been in existence for 10 years, why have the progerssive blogs ignored them till now ? Wouldn’t it have been tactically better to have highlighted this real-life scenarios well before the current debate on health care ? Instead, all we heard from progessive blogs were “millions of out of health care, single payer, public option” etc., which went beyond many people’s heads.

Messaging – that’s where the repugs & conservatives score and the dems & liberals lose.