We Can't Wait - Today's Number -- "8"

[quiet.american]

• 8 -- The number of people every minute who
  are denied coverage, charged a higher rate, or
  otherwise discriminated against because of a
  pre-existing condition.
  
  
  
• 8 -- The number of lobbyists hired by
  special interests to influence health reform for
  every member of Congress in 2009.
  
  

Putting Americans In Control of Their HealthCare

Ellen Linderman is a wife and farmer -- and one of those 8 people every minute that’s been discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition.

Here’s her story:

Ellen is a 61-year old farmer in Carrington, ND. She has had several difficult experiences with health care in recent years. Ellen was initially denied health insurance coverage a few years back when she and her husband (also a farmer) had to switch from the state employee plan to private insurance. However, since she had eye surgery less than six months prior to switching, she was considered high risk. The issue was eventually resolved but only after she went without coverage for several months. Health insurance reform would help people like Ellen who have a pre-existing condition and need to get insurance – insurance companies can't deny people due to a pre-existing condition.

Ellen and the hundreds of others like her who are treated unfairly because of a pre-existing condition are another reason why we just can’t wait any longer for health 3insurance reform.

Over the next several days, we’ll continue announce new numbers, like 8, to raise awareness about why the time is now for health reform. We’ll promote those figures here on WhiteHouse.gov and on social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

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When I read stories like this, I have to wonder, what kind of Senator/Representative justifies telling people with problems like the woman in the above example, that though this bill would help them get insurance, and would make sure they couldn't be dropped, or charged astronomical premiums because of their "pre-existing condition" -- that though that would happen for them with the passage of this bill -- because the bill is not "liberal" enough, or "conservative" enough -- that they will vote to keep letting the insurance companies keep doing vicious nonsense like the above and that the person should thank them for voting that way. It just doesn't make sense!

[Cha]

1. Real People Real Stories..they're worth

Millions of times more than those congresspeople and senators who would deny them for their own selfish reasons.