solai at 43 — I have found that sending a written objection to the insurance company when they balk on something like that has had very good results. They are in the business of not paying claims if they can get away with it — because for every claim not paid, they make money. If you push back in writing, they are required to audit the claim internally — and it leaves a paper trail. And if they refuse to pay a claim without just cause under the policy, it leaves them open to a bad faith claim…with a paper trail.

Always object to problems with your insurance company in writing. By all means, make phone calls — but follow-up with a written memorandum detailing the discussion. They cannot leave a written objection unanswered in a file…and you are more likely to get a real review and change of policy that way. Just FYI…

Send multiple letters because it’s too easy for them to say they didn’t receive one. It’s much harder to say they didn’t receive all ten of them. I would also suggest putting a cc at the bottom of the letter to a third party (your local press would be good). That way you have a third party who can testify if they received the letter.

With the economy the way it is how many can still give as much to charity or even give at all?

All the reason why my Modest Proposal makes sense. It is not giving it is saving/investment.

Using the principles of Capitalism we can also help our fellow citizens, strenghten our economy and maybe earn some Modest returns on our investment. Not a handout, a hand up.

HI
We think we’re the richest country in the world but this is how we treat the citizens.
Sad
jo6pac

I wonder if this is true anymore. Isn’t the EU comparable in terms of wealth and GDP to the US? Also, in the EU, wealth is measured in terms of quality of life not just mere wealth accumulation.

I think that health care is one of the things government does better than the private sector as service rather than profit is/needs to be the driving force. Health care needs to be not for profit and universal, which means the death of the Ferengi health insurance industry.

This is America 2007? Just dreadful. I’d love this photo-essay to be on the nightly news: maybe big-mouths railing against “socialized medicine’ would see how degraded our valuing of human life has become here.

“Isn’t it great that in America, people have the opportunity to get their medical care, at little or no cost, in a bleached horse stall. Only in America!”

Yeah, only in America and many, many other third world nations!

I am writing a series of three articles that put forward the reality of that need in terms of world opinion, the crimes of this administration, and ultimately the danger of allowing this kind of behavior to continue unchecked.

This is the first.

http://willyloman.wordpress.co…..s-that-so/

All of which is a Catch 22…the economy is bad so people give less, the economy is bad so more people need a helping hand. Maybe we can relabel this as a Bush 22?

Whazzup with that?

I’ve worked a lot with the poor. I’ve been the poor. I feel wealthy when I have enough saved up to last two months, because I know how hard others have it.

My advocacy for the poor is precisely why I must vote for Edwards. He and Kucinich seem to be the only ones who understand what poor is and why it must constantly be fought,

I hope the greatheartedness of you and your husband is rewarded many times over.