10 Feb 2012

Braley's Plain Language in Health Insurance Law is Implemented

By Rick Martin

Friday February 10, 2012

Departments of Health & Human Services, Labor, and Treasury announce final rule for implementation

 

Washington, DC - Three government agencies announced new rules late yesterday to fully implement Rep. Bruce Braley's (IA-01) Plain Language in Health Insurance Act, a bill he introduced that was later passed into law as part of the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

Under the rule announced today, health insurers must provide clear, consistent and comparable summary information to consumers about their health plan benefits and coverage. The new forms will be available beginning on September 23rd, and will be a helpful resource for the roughly 150 million Americans with private health insurance.

"I think everyone agrees that health insurance forms should be written as clearly as possible," said Braley. "These new rules will make insurance forms much easier to understand, so that consumers know exactly what they're paying for.  Small businesses will also save time and money as they can easily compare plans for their employees, and won't have to decipher the same old insurance gobbledygook that we've dealt with for years.  This is a big step towards a more transparent, consumer-friendly healthcare marketplace."

The Braley Plain Language in Health Insurance provision of the Affordable Care Act requires health insurers to eliminate confusing language from marketing materials that make it difficult for consumers to understand exactly what they are buying.

The rules announced yesterday stipulate that consumers have access to two key documents to help them understand and evaluate their health insurance choices:

·         A short, easy-to-understand Summary of Benefits and Coverage; and

·         A uniform glossary of terms commonly used in health insurance coverage, such as "deductible" and "co-payment."

A key feature of the Summary of Benefits and Coverage is a new, standardized plan comparison tool called "coverage examples," similar to the Nutrition Facts label required for packaged foods.  The coverage examples will illustrate sample medical situations, describing how much coverage the plan would provide in events such as having a baby or managing diabetes.  These examples will help consumers understand and compare what they would have to pay under each plan they are considering.

A template of the Summary of Benefits and Coverage can be downloaded at the following link: http://go.usa.gov/Q9H

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08 Feb 2012

The One Ingredient Label You Have Never Read... And Should!

By Rick Martin
You Probably Know What's In Your Kids' Peanut Butter, But Do You
Know What's In Their Toothpaste?

Most parents are careful about learning what's in the stuff their kids eat and drink. They avoid artificial dyes, preservatives, chemicals, and sweeteners. Yet ask just about any of those same folks if they have ever looked at what is in their toothpaste and you'll likely get blank stares.

Considering the fact that children - and adults -- ingest toothpaste twice a day every day, it's probably the most frequent thing we put in our mouths other than water or other beverages. And still, most people have never looked at what is in their toothpaste.

Dentist and national oral health care expert Harold Katz, (www.therabreath.com), suggests that needs to change. Many ingredients in some commercial toothpastes are of questionable benefit and some are just plain bad for you.

Consumers have become increasingly aware of the hidden toxins in foods, beverages and eating and drinking utensils, he says. They avoid high fat and high sodium foods, sulfates in their personal care products, aerosol sprays, and toxic chemicals in their household cleaners.

"They're taking no chances, and rightfully so. Remember the rush to replace plastic baby bottles with glass ones after the BPA scare in 2008?" he asked.

However there has been a surprising lack of attention to toothpaste, Katz says. The dentist suggests that all consumers - but especially parents - take the time to read their toothpaste tubes today. Effects of potentially unhealthy toothpaste ingredients are multiplied in the smaller bodies of children.

Here are a few ingredients to stay away from:

• FD&C blue dye No. 2: This commonly used toothpaste dye is one of several on the list of additives to avoid, maintained by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. It's said to be linked to learning, behavioral and health problems, severe allergic reactions, and headaches, among other problems.

• Sodium lauryl sulfate: The American College of Toxicology reports this ingredient in cosmetics and industrial cleaning agents can cause skin corrosion and irritation. Doses of .8 to 110 grams/kilogram in lab rats caused depression, labored breathing, diarrhea and death in 4 out of 20 animals.

• Triclosan: An anti-microbial ingredient, the federal Environmental Protection Agency lists triclosan as a pesticide and regulates its use in over-the-counter toothpastes and hand soaps. According to the agency's fact sheet, "Studies on the thyroid and estrogen effects led EPA to determine that more research on the potential health consequences of endocrine effects of triclosan is warranted. ... Because of the amount of research being planned and currently in progress, it will undertake another comprehensive review of triclosan beginning in 2013."

• Saccharin and aspartame: Both of these artificial sweeteners are on the Center for Science in the Public Interest's list of additives to avoid.

Toothpaste buyers should look for natural ingredients, such as aloe vera juice, which cleans and soothes teeth and gums and helps fight cavities, according to the May/June 2009 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's clinical, peer-reviewed journal. Aloe vera tooth gel is said to kill disease-causing bacteria in the mouth, Katz says.

Also, avoid all toothpastes that contain sodium lauryl sulfate, a harsh detergent that has been linked to canker sores. Toothpastes that are free of sulfates include Weleda's Salt Toothpaste, TheraBreath and Tom's of Maine.

Brush your teeth at least twice a day and get children into the habit from a young age, Katz says. You'll have fresh breath, avoid painful dental problems, and be far more likely to have your teeth in your mouth when you go to sleep at night as you age.

Just be sure to check what's in your family's toothpaste and avoid buying anything with problematic ingredients. And when it comes to brushing kids teeth use a pea-sized drop of paste on the brush - no more - and oversee brushing to ensure young children don't swallow their toothpaste, says Dr Katz.

About Dr. Harold Katz

Dr. Harold Katz received his degree in bacteriology from UCLA and is the founder of The California Breath Clinics and author of The Bad Breath Bible. He has been featured on ABC's "Good Morning America," CBS's "Early Show" and "The View" with Barbara Walters and countless other TV shows. Dr. Katz's formulated the TheraBreath oral care program in 1994 and has continued to update products in order to make use of the most effective and most natural ingredients.
08 Feb 2012

Grassley calls on Administration to rescind invasive health care rule

By Sen. Chuck Grassley

 

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley today called on the Secretary of Health and Human Services to rescind the Obama Administration's health care rule that will force religious affiliated organizations to either abandon their freedom of conscience or pay a fine of up to $2,000 per employee.

The rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, as part of the department's implementation of the sweeping Affordable Care Act of 2010, mandates that religious-affiliated charities, schools and hospitals provide coverage for controversial contraceptive products.

"The federal government does not have the right to tell religious groups to provide a service that violates their faith," Grassley said.  "This rule emphasizes one of the many concerns Americans have with the 2010 health care law, that it is a dramatic overreach into personal freedoms and liberties."

In a letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Grassley said the mandate as written will result in litigation that could be avoided with a regulation that shows respect for religious freedom.  Here is the text of his letter.

 

February 7, 2012


The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius

Secretary, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

200 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20201

 

Dear Secretary Sebelius,

I write to express serious reservations with the rule issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on January 20, 2012, mandating that religious-affiliated charities, schools, and hospitals provide coverage for controversial contraceptive products.  This decision would force many groups, including charities, schools, and hospitals, to provide coverage of contraceptive and abortifacient products despite strong objections to these drugs rooted in religious beliefs.

The federal government does not have the right to tell religious groups to provide a service that violates their faith.   It is disturbing that under the broad HHS requirement and narrow exemption, religious affiliated organizations will face a choice that Americans should not confront: adhere to their freedom of conscience or pay a fine of up to $2,000 per employee.  As currently written, this mandate will result in litigation that could be avoided if HHS issued a regulation that showed greater respect for religious freedom.

This rule highlights this Administration's continued invasive role in designing the health care benefits available to Americans and underscores one of the numerous concerns Americans have with the Affordable Care Act.  That the definition of a preventative benefit services has morphed into a requirement to force Americans to buy a product that violates their conscience demonstrates the dramatic overreach of the law into Americans' personal freedoms and liberties.  This burdensome and morally dubious regulation stands against more than 200 years of our nation's proud history of religious and individual liberty.  I strongly urge you to rescind this rule and ensure that any future issuance of a revised rule respects the conscience of not only medical providers, but healthcare consumers and faith-based organizations as well.

 

Sincerely,

Charles E. Grassley

United States Senator
08 Feb 2012

Is A Health Insurance Rebate in Your Future?

By Elisha Smith

By Steph Larsen, stephl@cfra.org, Center for Rural Affairs

An estimated nine million Americans could receive rebates from their health insurers in 2012. Will you be one of them?

The Affordable Care Act, passed nearly two years ago in March 2010, protects consumers by requiring health insurance companies to spend between 80-85 percent of their premium dollars on medical care or improvements, instead of on administration, advertising or executive salaries. The purpose of this provision is to protect consumers from insurers who increase prices without good reason or justification.

If insurers fail to meet this standard - one that many insurers already achieve now - they will be required to issue rebates to their customers. The federal Health and Human Services Department estimates these rebates could average $165 per individual.

The customers most likely to receive rebates are those who are not part of a large plan through their employer, but instead purchase their insurance on the individual market. group includes many rural small business owners and self-employed workers, such as farmers, ranchers and rural mainstreet entrepreneurs.

Insurers will be required to publish the costs of their medical claims costs, administrative costs and taxes by June 1, 2012. Those who qualify for a rebate will receive checks this summer.

Of course, insurance companies can avoid paying rebates by lowering premiums. Either way, consumers win.

To find out more about health insurance rebates and other Affordable Care Act provisions contact Steph Larsen, at 402.687.2100 or StephL@cfra.org.
06 Feb 2012

Study May Prove PTSD is a Medical, Not Psychological, Condition

By Ginny Grimsley

A Chicago physician is recruiting veterans with PTSD for a study of a medical treatment that erases symptoms in 30 minutes.

With $82,000 in funding from the state of Illinois, Dr. Eugene Lipov (www.ChicagoMedicalInnovations.org), author of Exit Strategy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, plans to treat 10 patients and follow up with biological marker tests that would help prove his theory that PTSD is a medical, not a psychological, condition. He's seeking corporate donations to broaden the study in order to hasten the Veterans Administration's acceptance of the procedure, which has been used to treat 95 patients.

"The Veterans Administration's treatment for PTSD involves intensive psychological therapy and psychotropic drugs that works only about half the time and can take months or years," Lipov says. "My treatment, stellate ganglion block (SGB), involves two injections and works very quickly. In 80 to 85 percent of patients, it completely erases symptoms."

Lipov has treated 50 patients with SGB, an injection of anesthesia into a cluster of nerves in the neck. His success stories date back to his first patient, who remains symptom-free after three years. Another 45 or so veterans have undergone the treatment at four military institutions, including a small study still underway at the Naval Medical Center San Diego.

He theorizes that SGB works because it reduces excessive levels of cortisol, nerve growth factor and norepinephrine in the brain, all stimulated as an organic response to stress.

"This study will be the first that includes checking for post-treatment biomarkers," Lipov says. "If I can show there's a biological change, that the treatment's success isn't just a placebo effect, I can get more acceptance. Right now, part of the problem is credulity - people can't believe there's such a simple solution to a complex problem."

Treating PTSD with SGB is a new application for a procedure that's been safely used to treat other conditions since 1925. Lipov has FDA approval for its use for PTSD and recently it was approved for experimental studies by the Institutional Review Board.

But despite congressional support, he has been unable to secure federal funding for a large study that would hasten the treatment's acceptance by the Veterans Administration. So he's seeking private and corporate donors to match Illinois' contribution to his non-profit, Chicago Medical Innovations, so he can expand the biomarker study. People who buy his book Exit Strategy, about the latest PTSD developments, also help fund veterans' treatments; Lipov donates $5 from each book sale toward the two $1,000 injections.

"The more money I raise, the more patients I can treat, and the more veterans who get better, the more I can publish the results," Lipov said. "Basically, the more impressive the numbers, the more lives are saved."

An estimated 300,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan suffered post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression, according to a Rand Corp. report. The debilitating condition is characterized by outbursts of rage, terrifying flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety and other issues that lead to substance abuse, violent crimes, joblessness and homelessness.

About Dr. Eugene Lipov

Dr. Lipov graduated from Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University and completed two-year residencies in surgery and anesthesiology before receiving advanced training in pain management at Rush University Medical Center, where he worked as an assistant professor of pain management. Today he is the medical director of Advanced Pain Centers in Hoffman Estates, Ill. He has published research articles in several medical journals.
06 Feb 2012

Feeling Anxious, Depressed?

By Ginny Grimsley
Stop Focusing on Money, Warns Financial 'Whiz Kid'

He was the 31-year-old stockbroker dubbed "The Wall Street Whiz Kid" by Good Morning America's Steve Crowley for his uncanny knack of predicting market highs and lows.

Now, after 25 years and two debilitating bouts of clinical depression, Peter Grandich, author of  Confessions of a Wall Street Whiz Kid, (www.confessionsofawallstreetwhizkid.com), says Americans' market-driven fixation on amassing a fortune is driving us crazy.

"The fight to keep up with the Joneses is leading to more people with intolerable levels of anxiety and stress, which contribute to serious mental health problems," says Grandich, who runs Trinity Financial Sports & Entertainment Management Co., a firm that specializes in offering professional athletes, celebrities and the general public estate planning from a Christian perspective.

A January Gallup poll found Americans at their highest money stress levels in 10 years, with 51 percent worried about maintaining their standard of living.

"Our whole culture now is built on the premise that we have to have more money and more stuff to feel happy and secure," he says. "Public storage is the poster child for what's wrong with America. We have too much stuff because we've bought into the myth fabricated by Wall Street and Madison Avenue, which rely on millions of people driven to make more money so they can profit from this insane quest."

Grandich was one of those people, he says. He loved making money, making more, and spending it. By his mid-30s, he was a multi-millionaire suffering his first disabling panic attacks. Looking back, he says, part of the problem was a life out of balance.

"My priorities were, No. 1, me, my reputation and my ego, and then my wife and our daughter," he says. "There was not much else."

Everything rode on how he did in the market, and when that wavered, Grandich grew increasingly anxious. Within a year of his first panic attack, bouts of crippling anxiety and hopelessness rooted as a deep and pervasive depression. Twice, he came to the point of attempting suicide.

In 1995, Grandich left the professional money management and brokerage business, but it took him several more years to find his way back to enjoying his life. He wants to warn others caught up in the money chase, and to offer hope to the one in 10 Americans who suffer depression.

He offers this guidance from his own experience:

• Anybody who has suffered depression more than once is at risk to go through it again. Grandich says he learned he is genetically predisposed to clinical depression because of his family history. "Be prepared to understand that it will always be with you," he says. "It's medically driven due to chemical imbalances in the brain."

• Get professional help. Without medical help you have no chance. "For me, it was talk therapy and pharmaceutical intervention to flip that chemical switch in my brain," Grandich says. "You can't just 'snap out of it' because you don't think rationally."

• It's not a sign of weakness and nothing to be ashamed about. With men especially, the "macho thing" gets in the way of seeking help, Grandich notes. It's not something that can be fixed with will power or that you can just snap out of; the brain is injured.

• Get seriously reacquainted with your Creator. Grandich grew up without religion and became a Catholic simply to marry his wife. He had no spiritual anchor and his relationship to God was "the occasional 9-1-1call." He has found comfort in recognizing that there is "someone bigger than me" in control and in having rules that make sense for governing his life. When friends ask, "What if it turns out there really is no God and no afterlife?" he says, "It's still a better way to live."

Grandich says he's grateful for the revelations he experienced, and that he found a way out of the painful darkness.

"I'm satisfied it happened for a reason, and not to use my experience to help others would be unfair," he says. "The blessing for me is, I've been shown the mess I was. There are still a lot of people out there who don't yet realize that, if money is their god, they're headed for a lot of suffering."

About Peter Grandich

Peter Grandich became renowned in the financial industry when he predicted market crashes and rebounds in The Grandich Letter, a newsletter he created in 1984. It's currently a blog featuring his commentary on the world's economies and financial markets as well as social and political topics. Grandich is co-founder, with former New York Giants player Lee Rouson, of Trinity Financial Sports & Entertainment Management Co., a firm that specializes in offering guidance from a Christian perspective to professional athletes and celebrities.

03 Feb 2012

Your Pharmacist Can Be a Great Resource in Your Quest for Heart Health

By Michelle Fritts

February 2, 2012

 

WASHINGTON, DC - In honor of American Heart Month, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) would like to remind the public to talk with their pharmacist regarding available screening and consultative services that could prevent and detect health problems usually associated with heart disease. As part of the healthcare team, pharmacists can play a significant role in the management and prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease?including heart disease and stroke?is the leading cause of death in the United States. Every day, 2,200 people die from cardiovascular disease?that's 815,000 Americans each year, or 1 in every 3 deaths. Americans also suffer more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes each year. High cholesterol and high blood pressure are primary contributing cardiovascular health risks. These two conditions combined affect more than 80 million Americans annually.

Many pharmacists offer screenings and prevention and wellness services dedicated to helping patients manage their health and get the most out of their medications. A few "heart healthy" services a pharmacist may provide to help prevent a heart attack, control heart disease and improve knowledge about effective treatment include blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index (BMI) screenings, smoking cessation, healthy lifestyle counseling and education about medications. To learn more about the specific ways pharmacists can assist in the management of cardiovascular disease, please see APhA's Your Pharmacist and You: Preventing Cardiovascular Disease Fact Sheet. Contact your pharmacist for available services as they may vary by pharmacy location.

Individuals can decrease their risk for developing coronary heart disease by taking steps to prevent and control associated risk factors. A targeted focus should be placed on the "ABCS," which address the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and can help to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

  1. Aspirin: Increase low dose aspirin therapy according to recognized prevention guidelines.
  2. Blood pressure: Prevent and control high blood pressure; reduce sodium intake.
  3. Cholesterol: Prevent and control high blood cholesterol.
  4. Smoking cessation: Increase the number of smokers counseled to quit and referred to State quit lines; increase availability of no or low-cost cessation products.

APhA has partnered with the Million Hearts Initiative in an effort to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years. Million Hearts brings together the efforts of the public and private health sectors to improve health across communities and help Americans live longer, healthier, more productive lives.

Pharmacists work with doctors and other health care providers to optimize care, improve medication use and to prevent heart disease. To achieve the best outcomes for their condition, patients should maintain regular visits with all of their health care providers. APhA encourages patients to fill all their prescriptions with one pharmacy, get to know their pharmacist on a first name basis, discuss their medications with their pharmacist, carry an up-to-date medication and vaccination list and share all medical information with each of their health care providers.

About the American Pharmacists Association
The American Pharmacists Association, founded in 1852 as the American Pharmaceutical Association, is a 501 (c)(6) organization, representing more than 62,000 practicing pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and others interested in advancing the profession. APhA, dedicated to helping all pharmacists improve medication use and advance patient care, is the first-established and largest association of pharmacists in the United States.

###

03 Feb 2012

Help Ensure a Diverse Blood Supply for Patients in Need

By Karen Stecher

February is Black History Month and in the spirit of Dr. Charles Drew, the American Red Cross reminds eligible donors of all ethnicities how important it is that blood donors are reflective of the patients who need their help. In 1941, Dr. Drew, an African-American blood specialist and surgeon, became the first medical director of the first American Red Cross blood bank. His pioneering work in blood collection and transfusion laid the foundation for modern blood banking.

Many patients are cross matched by blood type and Rh factor prior to transfusion. For some patients, there are other markers within donated
blood that must also be matched for the best outcomes as they are determined exclusively by ethnicity. A diverse blood supply is a stable one.
Approximately 21,000 times a day, patients receive blood from a Red Cross blood donor. All blood types are currently needed to help maintain a sufficient and stable blood supply.

How to Donate Blood
Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver's license, or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

About the American Red Cross
Governed by volunteers and supported by giving individuals and communities, the American Red Cross is the single largest supplier of blood
products to hospitals throughout the United States. While local hospital needs are always met first, the Red Cross also helps ensure no patient goes without blood no matter where or when they need it. In addition to providing nearly half of the nation's blood supply, the Red Cross provides relief to victims of disaster, trains millions in lifesaving skills, serves as a communication link between U.S. military members and their families, and assists victims of international disasters or conflicts.

The need is constant. The gratification is instant. Give blood.™

Blood Donation Opportunities

CARROLL COUNTY

2/20/2012, 11:00 am- 5:00 pm, Carroll County Farm Bureau, 811 S. Clay Street, Mount Carroll

CLINTON COUNTY
2/16/2012, 10:00 am- 4:00 pm, Lyondell Chemical Company, 3400 Anamosa Road, Clinton

HENRY COUNTY
2/17/2012, 9:00 am- 2:00 pm, Wethersfield High School Key Club, 439 Willard St., Kewanee

2/22/2012, 2:00 pm- 6:00 pm, First Christian Church, 105 Dwight St., Kewanee

2/28/2012, 1:00 pm- 6:00 pm, Kewanee Central School, 215 E. Central Ave., Kewanee

MERCER COUNTY
2/21/2012, 12:00 pm- 6:00 pm, VFW Hall, 106 SW 3rd Ave., Aledo

2/22/2012, 2:00 pm- 6:00 pm, Alexis Community Center, 204 W. Palmer Ave., Alexis

WHITESIDE COUNTY
2/21/2012, 1:00 pm- 5:15 pm, Old Fulton Fire Station, 912 4th Street, Fulton

2/22/2012, 10:00 am- 2:00 pm, Rock Falls Blood Donation Center, 112 W. Second St., Rock Falls

2/23/2012, 4:00 pm- 7:00 pm, Rock Falls Blood Donation Center, 112 W. Second St., Rock Falls

2/28/2012, 1:00 pm- 5:15 pm, Old Fulton Fire Station, 912 4th Street, Fulton

2/29/2012, 2:00 pm- 6:00 pm, Rock Falls Blood Donation Center, 112 W. Second St., Rock Falls

2/29/2012, 3:00 pm- 7:00 pm, Prophetstown Elementary School, 301 West Third Street, Prophetstown

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03 Feb 2012

IHT World Medical Tourism Services Agency Introduces Low Cost American Quality Surgery Overseas

By Pam Brammann

IHT World medical tourism services specialize in helping Americans slash their health care costs by offering non-emergency surgery, health treatment and even expensive dental treatment overseas for far less cost compared to the price of treatment in the United States.

LeClaire, IA (PRWEB) February 01, 2012

An estimated 50 million Americans do not have health insurance because they can't afford the high cost. Millions more who do have insurance lack adequate coverage.

When major health issues occur, these same Americans feel helpless in tackling the high cost of care in the United States, until they discover medical tourism which is obtaining needed treatment outside the United States.

When most Americans first hear about medical tourism, their first reaction typically is to ask, how safe it is and what is the quality compared to the United States?

Unfortunately far too many people still have the misconception that health care overseas is inferior to the treatment received in the U.S.A.  But in today's world, this belief is no longer true.

In numerous countries around the world, hospitals meet the same high standards and receive the same quality accreditation that American hospitals achieve.

Such accreditation certification is only granted when a hospital meets or exceeds the same standards of excellence that is expected of American hospitals. Several accreditation processes exist around the world that are quite similar to each other, all ensure the highest standards of care and treatment are being offered.

This means that Americans who use medical tourism services can feel confident when traveling abroad, knowing that they will receive high quality medical care without the massive expenses they would face in the United States.

The only difference between getting medical care in the U.S. and going to a highly accredited hospital overseas, is the far lower cost outside the United States.

Pam Brammann, R.N., President and Managing Director of IHT World, LLC pointed out that if a person is in need of non-emergency surgery such as hip or knee replacement, cancer treatment, advanced stem cell therapy, dental implants, etc. and the insurance company does not offer adequate coverage, the difference in medical tourism prices compared to the United States can often yield a savings of tens of thousands of dollars.

Mrs. Brammann said, "If a person can obtain American quality treatment or surgery in another country and end up paying half the price including the cost of travel expenses for two, why wouldn't Americans consider medical tourism?

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03 Feb 2012

Help Newt Defeat Obamacare

By Friends of Herman Cain

FEBRUARY 1, 2012:

 
Dear Patriot,

In March 2006 I was diagnosed with stage four colon and liver cancer, and over the next nine months I visited countless doctors, got second opinions, had surgery, and went through numerous rounds of chemotherapy. My doctors told me that I was able to beat cancer because I got the treatment I needed as quickly as I did. I've said it before and I'll say it again: if ObamaCare had been in place, I would not have survived!

I did not have time for a bureaucrat in Washington to review my health records and approve what amount of care I was eligible to receive. The doctors needed to move quickly, and thank God they didn't have to cut through red tape to do it.

Repealing this monstrosity of a government program must be the top priority of our next President, and we need to nominate someone who has credibility on the issue.

Again, ObamaCare must be repealed, and to do that we have to nominate Newt Gingrich. We're kicking off a $1 million Stop ObamaCare Money Bomb, and I'm asking you to be a part of it. By making a donation today, you can help nominate the man who will make sure ObamaCare is taken off the books.

America can't afford ObamaCare, can't afford Barack Obama, and can't afford not to nominate Newt Gingrich

Sincerely,
Herman Cain

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