Anonymous wrote:LIVID here. No the procedure was not covered. I was able to negotiate the rate down to what BCBS would have paid had it been covered for the hospital, my doctor and the anesthesiologist. The total was about 5000 instead of 9000.
I visited around 35 Senate offices and talked to Senators and staffers in the winter of 2009 to tell my story. At the time, there was a good chance that the rider that gets renewed every year in the appropriations bill was going to be taken out. In fact, Durbin had taken it out of the bill but then the debates on the ACA started and the appropriations bills were all tabled until after the ACA was passed. We all saw what happened in that debate. During the debate over funds/abortion/exchanges Sen. Feinstein told my story on the Senate floor which was pretty cool. She was the original person to take up my "cause" if you will. Her staff was completely outraged. Sadly, my side lost and politicians are still prohibiting coverage to Feds, Military, Peace Corps and anyone buying with a subsidy under the ACA.
That last part could be/should be the spark to light the fire.