Comments on: Proactive and Positive: An Inside Man http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2007/05/15/proactive-and-positive-an-inside-man/ Affecting NC public policy through informed, energetic and progressive conversations. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:14:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Andrea V http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2007/05/15/proactive-and-positive-an-inside-man/#comment-1023 Andrea V Thu, 17 May 2007 17:48:58 +0000 http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=377#comment-1023 Thanks, Ann, for commenting. I think many advocacy groups are afraid of offending their sympathizers and losing the mere crumbs they're thrown. I don't blame them necessarily, but I can see where it would make you impatient. It's true that absent the resources of company with major profits/surpluses or a champion like, say, the governor, it's hard to get real change going in our political system. We'll just have to keep speaking truth to whatever power is listening. As for the marketing of psychiatric drugs, Steve Turner recently called it a "horror" and I can't really top that. (http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=370#comments) Thanks, Ann, for commenting. I think many advocacy groups are afraid of offending their sympathizers and losing the mere crumbs they’re thrown. I don’t blame them necessarily, but I can see where it would make you impatient. It’s true that absent the resources of company with major profits/surpluses or a champion like, say, the governor, it’s hard to get real change going in our political system. We’ll just have to keep speaking truth to whatever power is listening.

As for the marketing of psychiatric drugs, Steve Turner recently called it a “horror” and I can’t really top that. (http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=370#comments)

]]> By: The Progressive Pulse – Beyond My Ken http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2007/05/15/proactive-and-positive-an-inside-man/#comment-1013 The Progressive Pulse – Beyond My Ken Thu, 17 May 2007 11:20:17 +0000 http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=377#comment-1013 [...] Ken Eudy came to see me yesterday. upset by my last post .  He felt it was too rough.  In the interest of fairness, I will pass on his thought.  His last effort to defeat parity was in 1998.  (That's also the last time I wore a size 6, but I remember it fondly as the not-too-distant past.)  The bill was rushed through the Senate and, according to Ken would have allowed an addict to attend 28-day rehab programs 12 times in a calendar year.  The reasons weren't as compelling as the chicken enchiladas that were cooling on my table.  (Did I mention it was dinner time?)  Anyway, he personally supports mental health parity and hasn't discussed it with Blue Cross since they killed it in '98.  Finally, he does no lobbying for Blue Cross at this time.  So, I'm passing that on in fairness to Ken Eudy. [...] [...] Ken Eudy came to see me yesterday. upset by my last post .  He felt it was too rough.  In the interest of fairness, I will pass on his thought.  His last effort to defeat parity was in 1998.  (That's also the last time I wore a size 6, but I remember it fondly as the not-too-distant past.)  The bill was rushed through the Senate and, according to Ken would have allowed an addict to attend 28-day rehab programs 12 times in a calendar year.  The reasons weren't as compelling as the chicken enchiladas that were cooling on my table.  (Did I mention it was dinner time?)  Anyway, he personally supports mental health parity and hasn't discussed it with Blue Cross since they killed it in '98.  Finally, he does no lobbying for Blue Cross at this time.  So, I'm passing that on in fairness to Ken Eudy. [...]

]]> By: Ann A http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2007/05/15/proactive-and-positive-an-inside-man/#comment-1008 Ann A Thu, 17 May 2007 02:29:16 +0000 http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=377#comment-1008 One would think that after the Jim Black fiasco that our lawmakers would be more inclined to do the right thing than to cave in to special interests. Do you think all the behind the scenes deals and lobbying are what our forefathers had in mind when they created our system of governance? Its pretty interesting, too, that our state-wide mental health, DD & substance abuse organizations try to play the same game as BCBS. With no money behind them, state organizations will never make a dent in the public policy arena. The one weapon they have is to get the real information to the public and let the folks down on Jones Street hear from the voters about BCBS and DHHS. Unfortunately, the EDs of these statewide organizations are deluded enough to think that they are "making real progress" in getting funding and services for people with mental illness. The signs on Halifax Mall yesterday told the whole story. "Don't Derail us!" The train went off the tracks a long time ago, and until these organizations get enough testosterone to realize they have to play a rough and tumble game, they will continue to get patronizing excuses for why our lawmakers and other elected officials are letting our public mental health system go down the tubes. Why they are probably learning to lobby from training paid for by pharmaceutical companies. Case in point is the training Astrazeneca is having on June 1. Now why do you think they want to train people like me for free? One would think that after the Jim Black fiasco that our lawmakers would be more inclined to do the right thing than to cave in to special interests. Do you think all the behind the scenes deals and lobbying are what our forefathers had in mind when they created our system of governance? Its pretty interesting, too, that our state-wide mental health, DD & substance abuse organizations try to play the same game as BCBS. With no money behind them, state organizations will never make a dent in the public policy arena. The one weapon they have is to get the real information to the public and let the folks down on Jones Street hear from the voters about BCBS and DHHS. Unfortunately, the EDs of these statewide organizations are deluded enough to think that they are “making real progress” in getting funding and services for people with mental illness. The signs on Halifax Mall yesterday told the whole story. “Don’t Derail us!” The train went off the tracks a long time ago, and until these organizations get enough testosterone to realize they have to play a rough and tumble game, they will continue to get patronizing excuses for why our lawmakers and other elected officials are letting our public mental health system go down the tubes. Why they are probably learning to lobby from training paid for by pharmaceutical companies. Case in point is the training Astrazeneca is having on June 1. Now why do you think they want to train people like me for free?

]]> By: J. Wilbert Edgerton http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2007/05/15/proactive-and-positive-an-inside-man/#comment-999 J. Wilbert Edgerton Wed, 16 May 2007 20:52:16 +0000 http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=377#comment-999 It is shameful that the mentally ill cannot get the treatment they ness at a price theyu can afford. In the long run it means that our jails and hospital emergence rooms become overloaded and still the mentally ill are not getting proper treatment. It is time fdor this kind of nightmare to be oved. Legislators please listen to us people who know and appreciate what the problems are, and take action!! J. Wilbert Edgerton, Ph.D. (Retired) It is shameful that the mentally ill cannot get the treatment they ness at a price theyu can afford. In the long run it means that our jails and hospital emergence rooms become overloaded and still the mentally ill are not getting proper treatment. It is time fdor this kind of nightmare to be oved. Legislators please listen to us people who know and appreciate what the problems are, and take action!!
J. Wilbert Edgerton, Ph.D. (Retired)

]]> By: Anglico http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2007/05/15/proactive-and-positive-an-inside-man/#comment-994 Anglico Wed, 16 May 2007 13:13:04 +0000 http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=377#comment-994 Thanks for the quote from Chris. I hadn't seen that one. The truth is, I can't even dictate a letter, let alone positions of a client the company works for. Everyone knows where I stand on this, but like I said, I don't seem to have much influence on the issue. More to the point, what the hell are lawmakers doing presenting the company's point of view? The amount of cowering and/or water-carrying our so-called elected officials engage in is unconscionable. The last time I looked, their job was to represent "we the people," not "them the companies." Thanks for the quote from Chris. I hadn’t seen that one.

The truth is, I can’t even dictate a letter, let alone positions of a client the company works for. Everyone knows where I stand on this, but like I said, I don’t seem to have much influence on the issue.

More to the point, what the hell are lawmakers doing presenting the company’s point of view? The amount of cowering and/or water-carrying our so-called elected officials engage in is unconscionable. The last time I looked, their job was to represent “we the people,” not “them the companies.”

]]> By: Andrea V http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2007/05/15/proactive-and-positive-an-inside-man/#comment-992 Andrea V Wed, 16 May 2007 10:49:00 +0000 http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=377#comment-992 From the Tuesday Fitzsimon File: "Lobbyists from Blue Cross didn’t speak publicly, but several lawmakers presented the company’s point of view, opposing coverage of substance abuse. Blue Cross has also reportedly backed away from covering all mental illnesses too." I guess being Capstrat's Nathan Myhrvold/Imagineer/Chief Strategist doesn't mean one can dictate BCBS positions. More's the pity. From the Tuesday Fitzsimon File:
“Lobbyists from Blue Cross didn’t speak publicly, but several lawmakers presented the company’s point of view, opposing coverage of substance abuse. Blue Cross has also reportedly backed away from covering all mental illnesses too.”

I guess being Capstrat’s Nathan Myhrvold/Imagineer/Chief Strategist doesn’t mean one can dictate BCBS positions. More’s the pity.

]]> By: Anglico http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2007/05/15/proactive-and-positive-an-inside-man/#comment-983 Anglico Wed, 16 May 2007 00:25:56 +0000 http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=377#comment-983 Some more dots to connect. I work with Capstrat part-time from my home in Chapel Hill. Being a telecommuter, I don't know who all the clients are, but I do know that Blue Cross and Blue Shield is one of them. My position on mental health parity is the same as yours, as you know from my many writings and rantings. I voice my strong opinion to anyone who will listen, but unfortunately, I don't seem to have much influence on the issue. That doesn't stop me from trying, and I like to think I've made some positive differences on other issues over the years. For example, I had a role in helping to position Land for Tomorrow a year or so back. I don't know any of the details on how or why mental health parity is getting derailed, but I don't sense the Blues are driving the opposition. If it turns out that they are, well, one of Capstrat's clients won't be very happy with me. Neither will my boss. Some more dots to connect.

I work with Capstrat part-time from my home in Chapel Hill. Being a telecommuter, I don’t know who all the clients are, but I do know that Blue Cross and Blue Shield is one of them.

My position on mental health parity is the same as yours, as you know from my many writings and rantings. I voice my strong opinion to anyone who will listen, but unfortunately, I don’t seem to have much influence on the issue. That doesn’t stop me from trying, and I like to think I’ve made some positive differences on other issues over the years. For example, I had a role in helping to position Land for Tomorrow a year or so back.

I don’t know any of the details on how or why mental health parity is getting derailed, but I don’t sense the Blues are driving the opposition. If it turns out that they are, well, one of Capstrat’s clients won’t be very happy with me. Neither will my boss.

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