Karen George is in extreme pain, taking "daily doses of Klonopin, Flexeril, and Lortab", but Aetna won't cover surgery to correct her disconnected jawbone, because it is "cosmetic".

Now that I have your attention, I want to change the subject from bashing Aetna. Read more…

[GAC, part 0]

I read this stuff so you don't have to, but you can dive into the 82-page PDF too if you like. Or here's the earlier version, it's only 39 pages.

 Read more…

And use me as your surrogate! What could be better? Read more…

Pittsburgh's part in the National Day of Action Against Health Insurance Companies took place today downtown in front of the Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield building. I was able to be there for about 45 minutes.

The good parts: perfect weather; a wide sidewalk on a busy corner with lots of pedestrians and cars; a decent sound system; good people speaking with something to say and the ability to say it briefly and affectingly; plenty of signs and leaflets; the news that Pittsburgh City Council is on record as endorsing single-payer healthcare; the Tribune-Review (Scaife's paper!) sent a reporter; the local CBS affiliate sent a cameraman. Read more…

For those interested in HR676 activism, I thought I'd pass along some notes I took at a discussion on health insurance/health care sponsored by the League of Women Voters at a nearby community college here in western PA. Seven people affiliated with our local group for single-payer care carpooled to the meeting. We were affluent (well, I'm culturally affluent) professional people; our driver had an Obama sign in his yard, but no horns or tail.

We were able to leave our literature next to the Obama leaflets on a table in the hall. The main event was a panel discussion moderated by a local chiropractor running for the state senate. The audience was between 30 and 40 people, mostly middle-aged to early retirement age. Read more…