[Diabetes-talk] Legislation

[Mike Freeman]

Cheryl:

WE actually need to put in some thought as to the best venue to solve the 
problem. And the problem may or may not be country-wide. I put out feelers 
here in WA both within my own organization and within the Washinton Council 
of the Blind and contacted consumer advocates and those who supervise 
insurance carriers in this state about the problem and they were interested. 
But when I asked for specifics from other blind diabetics here I did not get 
one -- repeat one -- reply. I knew exactly what section of what law I'd 
modify but, frankly, if no one cares enough to complain, it didn't seem 
worthwhile to work on the problem legislatively here -- especially when we 
were fighting bills to abolish our separate Department of Services for the 
Blind and separate agency status for our school for the blind. WE won on 
both counts, BTW.

But I think your cautions and caveats are bang on-target and we must 
approach this problem with our heads as well as our hearts.

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 9:33 AM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Legislation


> Jordan thank you for posting this.  I have written to you off list I hope 
> it didn't go into your spam folder. LOL
>
> Anyway, being a Medical Insurance Specialist I feel for the suppliers, 
> because there hands are tied in these matters, and please correct me if I 
> am wrong Jordan, the only real insurance plan that covers them is 
> Medicare, the HMOs flip back and forth and unless ADS or any  supplier is 
> part of there in network contract then you cannot even use ADS or DDI or 
> others out there.
>
> I have been helping many many NFB members since in November I put a story 
> in the Braille Monitor, for people to get the voice or other supplies, and 
> not just for diabetics.
>
> Ed Bryant and I had discussed about an Insurance Committee with the NFB, 
> to which I had e-mailed our President Mike Freeman.  This more and more 
> beneficial, especially with the New Health Insurance Reform in place, some 
> of it is good and some of it not known, but we need people to get together 
> via, conference call, and work on this and not just at convention, this 
> should be a year long thing working with the suppliers and people like my 
> Senator Schumer who fights for Diabetic Rights here in NY.
>
> Cheryl Echevarria
> Independent Travel Consultant
> http://Echevarriatravel.com<http://echevarriatravel.com/>
> 1-866-580-5574
>
> http://blog.echevarriatravel.com<http://blog.echevarriatravel.com/>
> Reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:Reservations at echevarriatravel.com>
> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel 
> CST-1018299-10
>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>  From: Jordan Benis<mailto:jbenis at advanceddiabeticsolutions.net>
>  To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org<mailto:diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
>  Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 12:13 PM
>  Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Legislation
>
>
>  I personally wanted to let everyone know that Advanced Diabetic Solutions
>  continues to serve as a patient advocacy company. We not only offer 
> diabetic
>  testing supplies, but we meet regularly as a leadership team to discuss 
> and
>  expose the latest barriers that affect individuals from having equal 
> access
>  to fully audible meters. Unfortunately, on a daily basis, we have to deny
>  services to patients with visual impairment because their insurance 
> company
>  is forcing them to use a meter that is not fully audible or even talking. 
> I
>  wanted to share some good news with the board. Dr. Price, who is a state
>  legislator, was compelled by this story as a practicing physician and now 
> a
>  congressman, called for an urgent meeting to address this issue. I will 
> be
>  having lunch with him next week. In our meeting, I will be sharing the 
> with
>  Dr. Price the challenges the insurance have created for patients.  I want 
> to
>  make sure every patient with diabetes and visual impairment has EQUAL 
> access
>  to the appropriate testing supplies. To make a blind individual use a
>  non-talking meter makes NO medical sense. Advanced Diabetic Solutions 
> will
>  continue to fight on the political front. All comments and suggestions 
> are
>  welcome. Again, thanks to everyone for all their support!!
>
>
>
>  Jordan Benis NP, MSN, RN
>
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