Saturday, May 17, 2008
5 weeks to hammer on BCBSNC via ‘short session’ NC State Legislature re: no screening colonoscopies in western NC

Marsha V. Hammond, PhD, Clinical Licensed Psychologist
e mail: hammondmv@netzero.com cell: 404 964 5338

Public Health blogspots associated w/ Dr. Hammond

NC mental health reform blogspot: http://madame-defarge.blogspot.com/

Scrutinizing Blue Cross/ Blue Shield North Carolina (BCBSNC) blogspot: http://madamedefarge2scutinizingbcbsnc.blogspot.com/

May 17,2008

Dear Nell Boone (nell.boone@bcbsnc.com) , Government Affairs, BCBSNC, Supervisor:

Thank you, Ms. Boone, for calling me this past Thursday, May 15, 2008, as associated with my persistent querying regarding the lack of screening colonoscopies in western NC.

As you know, I have been investigating this and getting nothing but run around by BCBSNC, since September, 2007.

In that you came up with no solution, but apparently have passed the buck to someone else, I am speculating that BCBSNC is going to continue to try and avoid their lack of coverage for colon cancer screening, the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths in the US.

You stated, as per the phone message you left me, that ‘someone’ from Customer Satisfaction and BCBSNC Network, would be in touch w/ me ‘soon.’ You stated that you would be calling my NC House Representative, Susan Fisher, whom I notified about the lack of screening colonoscopies for BCBSNC consumers.

I am letting Susan Fisher know by this e mail that yes, indeed, BCBSNC is continuing to avoid addressing this critical public health issue.

In that the NC State Legislature will meet for only 5 more weeks, I am asking that someone from BCBSNC contact me by May 20, 2008. If I do not hear something positive about the creation of screening colonoscopies for citizens of western NC who have BCBSNC family plans—-for which they pay premium $$—-I will then escalate my activism.

BCBSNC continues to be under scrutiny by NC citizens who care about public health matters.
Moreover, BCBSNC’s so far actions indicate a distinct attempt to avoid providing screening for colon cancer.

This cannot possibly be good public relations for a company that continues to attempt to get out from under the thumb of the state legislature.

However, I guess that BCBSNC simply cannot manage its company in a way that would suggest that this would be a good idea. Thus, I’m stuck to this issue like glue.

I’ll be the first to herald your forward thinking when you create screening colonoscopies for western NC citizens paying over $600/ month for BCBSNC PPO health insurance.

My husband and I cannot afford $2500 for the two screening colonoscopies.

This does not even take into account if there were biopsies or other procedures which are not uncommon as associated with this important preventive care.

Thank you for passing this on to pertinent parties.

Sincerely,
Marsha V. Hammond, PhD

(Martin Nesbitt, Sr, D-Buncombe; co-chair of the NC mental health reform legislative oversite committee)

(I like Mr. Nesbitt but I dislike how BCBSNC is managing health insurance in NC more than that).

http://www.martnesbitt.com/photo%20truck.jpg

Monday, May 14, 2007
http://madame-defarge.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html

save our Senator Nesbitt:the ballad of Nesbitt Jr.’s BCBS ADVANTA race car :PLEASE DON’T MAKE ME SPILL MY MACHIATO w/the clock runnning out

Friday, May 16, 2008

Is NC losing its critical coverage of BCBSNC by its NPR stations supported by BCBSNC Foundation? : Mr. Nesbitt don’t make me spill my machiato

Marsha V. Hammond, PhD : Clinical Licensed Psychologist, Asheville, NC
cell phone: 404 964 5338 e mail: hammondmv@netzero.com

BCBSNC blogspot:http://madamedefarge2scutinizingbcbsnc.blogspot.com/

May 16, 2008
RE: lack of screening colonoscopies in NC

Dear WUNC radio, Laura Leslie of WUNC (hunters.tavern@gmail.com ), and its affiliates; other NPR stations in NC; and WCQS, NPR station in Asheville, NC (info@wcqs.org):

Thank you for covering news about BCBSNC over the years.

Adam Searing of NCJustice (adam@ncjustice.org) tipped me off to Laura Leslie and WUNC coverage, over the years, of BCBSNC.

Dear WUNC radio, Laura Leslie of WUNC, and its affiliates, covering news about BCBSNC:
Adam Searing of NCJustice tipped me off to Laura Leslie and WUNC coverage, over the years, of BCBSNC.

I would like to alert you to a very problematic matter associated with BCBSNC at this time. This has been going on for some time. For me personally, I have been seeking a gastroenterologist in western NC to simply do a screening colonoscopy, something that is recommended by American Cancer Society and experts throughout the US.

Colon cancer is the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths in the US.

I have BCBSNC PPO plan as associated w/ myself, my husband, and our 13 yr old son. We pay over $600/ month for what I thought was a good plan.

I have been trying to obtain this procedure for almost 8 months now. Please see the details in Item 3 below as associated with my post at my BCBSNC blogspot.

Over 7 months ago, upon recognizing the problem of no available screening colonoscopies in western NC, I contacted the CEO, Mr. Bob Greczyn, who sent me back a letter which indicated, essentially, that BCBSNC was not in control of having extremely limited numbers of gastroenterologists to do screening colonoscopies.

I believe that the problem may in fact be endemic and even epidemic, across NC.

I maintain that the problem is that few gastroenterologists want to do office based screening colonoscopies because they do not want to traumatize their patients. Clinic based colonoscopies avail patients of the use of IV anesthetics e.g., Versed, which eases pain and facilitates the procedure.

The cost, out of pocket, is over $1200.00 for a screening colonoscopies. If biopsies have to be taken or polyps have to be removed, there are additional costs.

I hope you can use this information to follow-up on this matter.

I have contacted everyone I know to contact re: this matter, including the Government Affairs supervisor, Nell Boone, at BCBSNC, as well as all the members of the Health Committee of the NC State Legislature. I have heard nothing from any state legislator. I know this is the short session of the state legislature and so I am feeling some pressure to get this resolved—-and in the direction of BCBSNC creating relationships w/ gastroenterologists to do this procedure in western NC.

I contacted a string of supervisors at BCBSNC a couple of months ago and got nowhere. I am now ‘on hold’ vis a vis Nell Boone as ‘someone is investigating the matter.’

Someone investigated the matter months ago and the only answer that came back is that there were screening colonoscopies in Charlotte and Boone, NC, several hours from my family in Asheville, NC—-not exactly an unpopulated city.

Moreover, from what I see online re: the Insurance Committee of the NC State Legislature, there is no point in me contacting them as they appear to be in the pocket of BCBSNC.

Thank you for your coverage of this public health issue.

Marsha V. Hammond, PhD