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These nearly 600 million dollars are a result of Blue Cross Blue Shield's conversion from a non-profit, tax-exempt organization to a for-profit company. ...   The state insurance commissioner ordered that the company stock be "paid back" to the citizens of the state because while Blue Cross and Blue Shield was tax-exempt, they built their now for-profit company off the backs of taxpayers.

comments@bcbshealthissues.com

Health care in America is a tangled mess of laws and practices which deny a very large percent of the US population, access to appropriate medical care, while others receive more than needed.  Such inequities can not be allowed to continue, it is too costly. Doctors are not to blame; They pay horrendous amounts of money to insurance companies as well.

The Insurance-Health Care Provider-Government triad behaves to gain profit and power, as a triad of evil. The health care reform issue, or problem, is inseparably entangled with this triad, special interest profiteering, and protection of personal turf-doms.

People power is the solution - we the people can exercise participatory democracy now; no need to change the system, we just must all, as citizens, stay informed, bill by bill, and page by page if necessary, to force our considered option and wishes into the laps of our elected representatives, and so too a tally of their historical behavior each election.

 
I have a plan that is so simple.  It is too simple to work exactly, but is is close and quickly shows my solution  concept.

Phase 1 - reduce federal taxes 50%, increase state taxes 25%
Phase 2 - reduce state taxes by 30% and increase county tax 15%

Brings the power to people, vote as close as possible to spending.  A vote in the presidential vote has been diluted, consider how much more powerful your vote for governor is; all or nothing was a clever federal trick. 

The reduction of overhead is savings to.  Top down design never works.  Bottom up solutions within a top down paradigm serve with locally specific efficiencies with variation.  Lobbyist loose power,  senators wont get rich in office. federal loop holes are made less significant.

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These nearly 600 million dollars are a result of Blue Cross Blue Shield's conversion from a non-profit, tax-exempt organization to a for-profit company. ...   The state insurance commissioner ordered that the company stock be "paid back" to the citizens of the state because while Blue Cross and Blue Shield was tax-exempt, they built their now for-profit company off the backs of taxpayers.

 

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2003 9:34 PM
Subject: Neurosciences Center at Froedtert-Medical College - 'Special Report to the Community'

 
Wisconsin United for Health Foundation
 Charles I. Henderson, Davis & Kuelthau

Dear Sir:

This beautiful, 20 page, four color, high gloss, advertising brochure was given to me because it describes the high quality services of the Neurosciences Center at Froedtert-Medical College.  This 'Special Report to the Community' touts the non-profit mission status of this world class medical complex, and I was delighted to read it, hopeful the services described therein would soon be accessible to me.  Then another friend gave me a second copy, and within a week I had six, and began to thankfully refuse any more.  This caused me to rethink my initial reaction.

This is an incredibly high quality product, expensive for sure, heavy so it was not cheap even to mail at tax payer expense, and it seems that everyone got one, South Milwaukee, East Side, Mequon, Oconomowoc, each addressed 'To Our Neighbors at'; it was a bulk mailing, not even selective mailing.  Why? For whom is this designed to benefit, how many were built and distributed, what did it truly cost, where are they now, in landfills?  Using the internet, the message could have been created and disseminated at very little cost. This allocation of resources is misplaced in my mind, and surely demonstrates the medical complex is not really broke, just inefficient. 

Since the state insurance commissioner ordered that nearly 600 million dollars be "paid back" to the citizens of the state, I believe these are important questions to ask, as the issues make me question the judgment of the decision process which elected to allocated the resources, at a time when there are not resources enough to help the indigent. 

"paid back"  to the citizens of the state', should mean the people, especially the needy.  Please insist the repayment helps the most needy, as directly as possible.

The Medical College of Wisconsin and the UW Medical School have left out Wisconsin's uninsured in their plans to spend hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars, earmarked to improve the health of the state's citizens. These nearly 600 million dollars are a result of Blue Cross Blue Shield's conversion from a non-profit, tax-exempt organization to a for-profit company. The state insurance commissioner ordered that the company stock be "paid back" to the citizens of the state because while Blue Cross and Blue Shield was tax-exempt, they built their now for-profit company off the backs of taxpayers.  - Wisconsin Citizen Action

Sincerely  - Vincent J. Cataldi

comments@bcbshealthissues.com
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, July 06, 2003 12:26 PM
Subject: Utilizing the Medical College and Froedtert Hosp for GAMP Patients

My daughter was injured at age 14 in a car accident and became disabled.  The Social Security Administration did not get around to declaring her disabled until age 27, then backdated it 9 years. My daughter suffers from Fibromyalgia, depression and chronic pain.  She was diagnosed a month ago with Rheumatoid Arthritis as well.  She has had herniated disks at T11 and L5-S1 with sciatica and numbness to the legs and feet.

From age 18-25, when she was unemployed, indigent, not a full time student and no longer my dependent. I became her "insurance" by paying for all her medical care.  Of course, this limited her access to all of the specialty care and tests she needed, while costing me in excess of $50000 I am still paying off.  Her meds alone were $600-800/month.  And since she was not my dependent, I could not even declare theses medical expenses on my tax returns.

At age 25, she became eligible for GAMP and was allowed access to Froedtert as her clinic, utilizing Michelle Mines, a resident and Dr. David Scheidermeyer to oversee decisions for care. Had she not had GAMP, the use of Froedtert and the Medical College, she would not be alive today.  I now understand Froedtert has been closed to GAMP patients for over a year.

I feel the Medical College has an obligation to assist those most in need. Otherwise, where are these indigent sick people to go?  My daughter now has Medicare and Medicaid through her being declared disabled, but everyone in the medical community knows how long it takes for anyone to be declared disabled through Social Security.  GAMP is the only program available for many.

With money going to the Medical College from BCBS, it would be a severe disappointment and irresponsible to not allocate funds for the indigent. The resident at Froedtert through the Medical College learned more from diagnosing and treating my daughter than she could have gotten anywhere.  The patient obtains care while the resident learns.  That is a win-win in my mind.

Please make the compassionate decision to allow some Medical College funds to assist the indigent ill through Froedtert or other clinic locations.  You could be saving lives.  Isn't that the number one priority for decision makers in the medical community?

Jan Walsh
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2003 6:46 PM


Howdy,
 
Obviously, the "for profit" nature of the BCBS move undermines the humanistic nature of what health care stands for. Although this is, really, a reflection of a larger political issue (economics fuels everything), the health care field has a social responsibility to help those in need, not those who can simply fatten the paychecks of the few executives at the top of the health care hierarchy (doctors are not to blame; They pay horrendous amounts of money to insurance companies as well). Simply put, the removal of the altruism inherent in the image of health care would undermine the "for profit" move; When people understand the fiscal motivation behind their health (very personal and intimate), the trust of the "business" is likely to be lessened. If the movement passes, I'll make sure that, as an educator, people know about what little value BCBS places on their health. This is a bad idea...
 
                                                                       Brian Beaudet
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Blake
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2003 5:06 PM
Subject: Medical Schools' Plan and the Uninsured

Mr. Charles I. Henderson
 
Please tell the board they must not approve the medical schools' plans unless the plans directly address the problem of the uninsured in the state with concrete goals to dramatically reduce the epidemic of the un- and under-insured in Wisconsin.
 
Thank you for your time.
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2003 3:05 PM
Subject: Good Health for the poor, bad health to the rich

Jason Alexander
2923 N Oakland
Milwaukee, WI  53212

I thank you for your time and attention, My site is new and in its' infancy. I truly respect your support.  Do I know you, or did you stumble into the site in some other manner. 

Respectfully - Vince Cataldi

The U.S.A is all about the haves and have-nots. What kind of super power are we when we can't take care of are own. It is a shame that good people have to die because they are poor. I am a former member of the U.S.M.C so, I at one time fought for this country and I am proud to have done so. Yet some times I wonder, why? I offered to serve my country yet my country can't serve me.

Good Health for the poor, bad health to the rich

Jason Alexander
jasonsa2@uwm.edu

 

 

Please stop the BCBS 'Insurance Monster', see details below. 
People power can stop this easily, send this new BS Logo.
 
1.  Click on the logo
      or
2,  Please send an email to: chenderson@dkattorneys.com
3.  Please CC: dhaber@wi-citizenaction.org;  vincecataldi@sbcglobal.net
4.  Copy the logo to your email - nothing else need be said.
5.  Please send to friends and ask them to help in the same simple way.
     Everyone has family or friends who are un or under insured!

----- Original Message -----

From: "Wisconsin Citizen Action"
Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2003 9:54 AM

Subject: Help stop UW Med School Neglecting the Uninsured

STOP OUR STATE MEDICAL SCHOOLS FROM NEGLECTING THE UNINSURED!!

There's still time! Act before it's too late!! Deadline July 10, 2003

BACKGROUND:

The Medical College of Wisconsin and the UW Medical School have left out Wisconsin's uninsured in their plans to spend hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars, earmarked to improve the health of the state's citizens. These nearly 600 million dollars are a result of Blue Cross Blue Shield's conversion from a non-profit, tax-exempt organization to a for-profit company. The state insurance commissioner ordered that the company stock be "paid back" to the citizens of the state because while Blue Cross and Blue Shield was tax-exempt, they built their now for-profit company off the backs of taxpayers.

ACTION:

The medical school's neglect of the plight of Wisconsin's uninsured can still be stopped. The board of the Wisconsin United for Health Foundation has the power to do this and is soliciting comments from the public for the next 8days.

Address your email to the Wisconsin United for Health Foundation board. Charles I. Henderson of the law firm Davis & Kuelthau sc will distribute your message to all the board members. Email your message for the board to him at chenderson@dkattorneys.com. Tell the board they must not approve the medical schools' plans unless the plans directly address the problem of the uninsured in the state with concrete goals to dramatically reduce the epidemic of the un- and under-insured in Wisconsin.

for more info contact dhaber@wi-citizenaction.org and please cc: Darcy with your emails to Chuck Henderson!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Wisconsin Citizen Action

http://www.wi-citizenaction.org
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, July 06, 2003 8:28 AM
Subject: You and the power of Blue - update
 
Darcy:
 
As you asked me to do, and as I feel compelled to support your request, I worked to change the current status quo. I used this past Independence day fighting for the independence of all US citizens.  You gave no time to react, so I had no time to write well enough to help enough; yet since a picture is worth a thousand words, I made art, and sent the new 'BS Logo' everywhere; thousands upon thousands upon thousands of impressions, many times over, each a symbolic word ringing true for years. 
 
In addition to the list of original recipients which I summarized earlier and copied below, I have since sent it to BCBSs web site in a feed back form (in html format), all other contacts I did cc you and the lawyer as you asked.  Note that this new updated group summary  includes ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, PBS, and another 30 or so activist individuals.
 
I suspect I altered the logical time table of this unacceptable behavior trying to seize undue profits, your ten day limit now is only the start date.  My art is like the anti-Pillsbury Dough Boy, he is an adorable new way to view an iconic American logo - protected by my right to free speech, my right to protest.  The valuable symbols of recognition are not altered, just glaring at you now; I just framed them within my political - artistic - view of reality.
 
Again, you gave me no reaction time, so I took my Independence holiday to work, day and night.  But others were on the job too, as I responded to my attentive, supportive, governors assistant (Jim Doyle's Governors Office):
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2003 5:10 AM
Subject: Re: Wave Maker
RE: This receipt verifies that the message has been displayed on the recipient's computer at 7/4/03 4:05 AM
WOW - ATTENTION IS FAST FROM YOU;  and on Independence Day. Who ever you are, bless your efforts.  Independence is won with force, even at the local - political level, we must fight. Enjoy your holiday with my respect, vjc.
 
----- Original Message -----
From: "Vince Cataldi" <vince@cataldi.us>
To: "Vince Cataldi" <vince@cataldi.us>
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2003 4:05 AM
Subject: Read: Wave Maker

This is a receipt for the mail you sent to
<erin.cunningham@gov.state.wi.us> at 7/4/03 3:48 AM

This receipt verifies that the message has been displayed on the recipient's computer at 7/4/03 4:05 AM
I sure I helped, because I am exhausted - vjc
 ----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2003 5:36 AM
Subject: Please stop the BCBS 'Insurance Monster' - Summary

In summary, I put this on nearly 100 newsgroups, sent it to about 100 individuals, and placed it on these three web servers: http://www.geocities.com/vincecataldi@sbcglobal.net/
 
My political opinion is likely clear. Continuing with this short term profitable action will cost plenty for BCBS world wide, not just Wisconsin. This is not acceptable in my opinion, it will not be economically advantageous.
Vjc
 
Please stop the BCBS 'Insurance Monster', see details below. 
People power can stop this easily, send this new BS Logo.
 
1.  Click on the logo
      or
2,  Please send an email to: chenderson@dkattorneys.com
3.  Please CC: dhaber@wi-citizenaction.org;  vincecataldi@sbcglobal.net
4.  Copy the logo to your email - nothing else need be said.
5.  Please send to friends and ask them to help in the same simple way.
     Everyone has family or friends who are un or under insured!
Vincent Cataldi ICQ#: 189433 
Home Tel#: 414 276-3773
__________________________________________________________________

Give Health A Chance - Reform Comments - GHAC