Dear President Obama,
I wanted to make out with you. I was so in awe of the way you managed to get Obamacare through that insane Congress, run mostly by a bunch of Republicans. (OK, maybe they are not all lunatics, just the obstructionist, obnoxious ones -- does that narrow it down?)
And now you have something like eight million people signed up, despite all the glitches and the fights and the name calling -- you prevailed! Congratulations on a worthy accomplishment, bringing health care to millions of Americans. Whoohoo!
Except for one thing. For those of us who had to give up our insurance policies (because they were phased out) and sign up for an ACA exchange -- we are now SCREWED. BIG TIME.
Thank you, President Obama, for leading us up the river (or is it down?) with no paddle. Thank you, American doctors, for NOT accepting any of these new policies and THANK YOU, insurance companies, for your part in this mess, which is too mild a word for what has been created.
We cannot find doctors to treat us. I have a knee injury which suddenly got much worse, so I went in to see my internist, God bless him, he's one of the few doctors I know who takes the new insurance. And then he gave me several names of orthopedists to call and I called every one of them and when I told them the insurance plan I have -- EMPIRE BLUE CROSS, Silver Guided Access -- they said, "Oh, sorry. We don't take that."
Twelve specialists. I called 12 and then I called more (I lost count) and then I called Empire Blue Cross to register a complaint and ask for help with this and the representative apologized and said, "We are so sorry. Many doctors aren't accepting the insurance just yet and we are going crazy." And then she called numerous orthopedists who, according to their website, are signed up for these plans and they also said, "No. We are not accepting that insurance."
Now, why aren't the doctors accepting the insurance? Didn't they sign the Hippocratic Oath which states something like "First do no harm"? Well, they are harming us. I suspect they're not getting paid as much, or that it's taking forever, or whatever and that the insurance companies are just as complicit in this debacle -- but ATTENTION MUST BE PAID. My injury is just my knee, so what if I can't walk? But what about people who are dying? People with life-threatening illness? Can they no longer be treated? Are hospitals refusing to accept these plans as well?
PRESIDENT OBAMA, I'm not saying throw it out, but I am saying: DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. And don't put it into committee or write a report. Get on the f*cking phone and fix it. Make the insurance companies talk to the doctors and get them to agree to take insurance plans that are being used by eight million Americans and eventually more -- because it's the right thing to do.
And obstructionist Republicans, pick another battle. This one is beneath you. Americans should have the right to affordable health care. Move on. Let it go. Shut up about it. You fought social security when that was introduced and where would this country have been without social security? What have you got against having a healthy workforce? Do you like having employees out sick all the time? How the hell is your money going to trickle down to us if you can't get your job-creating-doodads made and ready to sell?
I'm assuming you are aware of this issue, President Obama -- the fact that doctors are refusing to take your insurance. I'm assuming you get that this is not acceptable. What kind of country do we live in? Never mind, I know. I know there are people (the majority of them members of the Tea Party) who don't want people to have health insurance, or minimum wage, or equal pay for equal work, or jobs, or the right to marry, or benefits for veterans or ANYTHING that is humane.
And I know that doctors didn't get into medicine just to get rich, right? I believe they genuinely care about saving lives. And insurance companies are not only in it for the... oh, nevermind.
Affordable health care is a good idea -- it's just not there yet. It's a beautiful car and I can't wait to drive it, but it's missing a fourth wheel. I hope when you met with the state insurance people before your press conference you gave them what for. If not, please give them my phone number. I have a few thoughts on the matter.
All I'm saying is let's just find a way to fix this, OK, President Obama? And then I can make out with you.
Best,
Robin