Since when is an ear infection a pre-existing condition?

I had the opportunity to meet the amazing Valerie Jarrett, Advisor to President Obama, while at BlogHer earlier this month.  The 10 bloggers, including my lovely MOMocrats or so in the private session were all verklempt listening to stories about health care nightmares (I was crying like baby) and gave input on what needed to be done to take the message to back to our home towns and blogs.  I left inspired to do more, but wasn't quite sure until I chatted with the fine folks at People Acting in Community Together. 

Yesterday my kids and I had the opportunity to give testimony on health insurance reform at a rally outside Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren's office.  About 175 clergy and community leaders gathered to add our stories to the health care insurance reform debate.   Representative Lofgren spoke briefly and complimented the group on the peaceful demonstration.  She relayed that the night before she had attended a meeting expecting 40 people.  Instead she was greeted by more than 300 rowdy protesters, and most were not ready to debate civilly. Oy vey! 

This afternoon's gathering was hosted by a Rabbi, blessing shared by a Baptist minister and the crowd sang, "This little light of mine".  It was a far cry from the events seen all over the news featuring town halls shut down by angry protestors.  I was proud to be amongst this group of smart and compassionate people. 

When my friends asked me to speak last week, I did not hesitate to volunteer.  But as I watched the news and read online accounts of what was happening at rallies around the country, I began to wonder what I had gotten myself into.  Moreover, when the head organizer mentioned that agitators were seen at other rallies around the country and that a large group off Teabaggers assembled at an event the night before I began to worry about what I had gotten my kids involved with.   But as I stood in a circle surrounded by preachers, community activists and friends, I knew there was no other place I would rather have been.

Valerie Jarrett challenged us to take to streets and get our stories told. I did just that and so have many others. Now it is up to us all to make sure our elected officials stand up too and roll up their sleeves to get it done.  We need access to affordable health are. My kids can't wait.

Comments

[Kim]

Just watched your clip. 1. Love the bangs. 2. That just sucks big time. I'm so sorry. We had to pay COBRA for a month this spring when D was laid off--I know how expensive that is! And although we're covered through D's work plan, we're still spending probably $1000 or more a month for me because I'm seeing an out-of-network doctor (the only one who could get the diagnosis right) who has me on a lot of herbs, homeopathic products, other alternative treatments. In a couple months, they're going to put me on a PICC line and likely insurance won't cover it, so we'll be paying for that plus $250 month for antibiotics, too. The Lyme people really fall through the cracks in this system, too. I don't know what the answer is, but something has to change.

[kids4me]

Sheila, we feel your pain. We have been paying 1500 a month for cobra. It ends in Nov. I don't take my family members to the Dr as often as I'd like for 2 reasons: 1) in the future when I need to purchase health care I KNOW the underwriters will consider by family to have pre-existing conditions (even though we have "cured" them all) 2) even with insurance the bills add up ... a required annual physical for my son was $600 more than what the insurance company would pay - $200 for every OTHER year .. for example. We too work very hard. I shake my head and wonder if we would be better off if we didn't work as hard and could be classified as within "poverty" limits. If we worked less..made less.. we would not be able to pay our Silicon Valley bills. The country my Grandfather came to on a ship was NOT this country. He had opportunities to be entrepreneurial, to dream to be successful. We, as entrepreneurs in 2009 feel like we are swimming upstream every day.

[Kim]

Great post; great speech!

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