21st century medicine

Interesting article about how technology will improve patient care.  I can't wait to start to see these things implemented.  Sounds so much more organized for patients with chronic conditions of all kinds.  http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2010/4/13/new-technologies-spur-changes-in-health-care-research-delivery.aspx

Shorty Awards

I am running for a Shorty Award as @teamvicbo on Twitter please vote for me for a Shorty Award for #nonprofit category for my work for all the 46 million arthritis sufferers, and 300,000 children with Juvenile Arthritis in the USA!

Here's the website: http://shortyawards.com/category/nonprofit#

Genocide in America

We are so close to passing real healthcare reform in this country. We need to keep up the pressure on Congress to get this done THIS year! Please contact your member of Congress and tell them to side with the American voters that elected them (and can un-elect them) and not the Insurance companies that feed their campaign funding. We deserve the CHOICE of a public option. 45,000 American tax-paying citizens die every year from lack of medical insurance (most are denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions). This is genocide of the poor and sick by the companies who are making billions in profits off the American consumer. Enough is enough!

Call Congress today! (202) 224-3121

Arthritits Foundation Bone Bash 2009

I would like to thank all the ghouls and goblins who made the Arthritis Foundation's Bone Bash 2009 a great success. We had a blast with the Thriller Dance off. That 80's Band and the Michael Jackson impersonator were awesome! Looking forward to next year!

Bone Bash 2009

I just got my tickets for the Bone Bash 2009! More info at http://www.arthritis.org/bonebash.php

The Day I Met President Obama

The phone rang on a Friday night. The gentleman on the other end said "I have the opportunity of a lifetime for you." My instinct told me right away I was being invited to meet the President, but my mind said, "No Way!" President Obama was scheduled to come to speak at Macomb Community College the following Tuesday and I had been sending out e-mails to contacts to try to get tickets. The man on the phone said I was going to get a private meeting with the President of the United States of America. I almost fainted. My heart was beating a million miles a minute. I knew he was serious when he said you have 10 minutes to get me an e-mail with your info for the secret service to do a background check. I sent the e-mail in 5 minutes!

I was diagnosed with JRA at 18 months old. I am now 35 and on total disability. I graduated from Oakland University and became a CPA. My career was cut short due to a 3 year bout of Colitis and my JRA is not in control because the co-pay for the drug I need is $435 per month. That is why I became involved in the health care debate in Congress. I attended numerous rallies and visited Senator Levin's office in June. I told my story to anyone who would listen and started a blog to share my story with others. I give free advice and support at http://vicbosblog.blogspot.com/ . I'm not sure how exactly I was selected but I did meet some pretty important people at these health care rallies and I also volunteered during the 2008 campaign season to share my story with my community.

On July 14, 2009, my chance had arrived. I was instructed to meet my contact at the front of the line at Macomb Community College. We had a group of 8 community volunteers who were also invited. After waiting for hours, we got the signal from the secret service to follow them. We were escorted through what seemed like a maze of people, then a maze of hallways lined with black cloth drapes. We were put in a room that had been cleared out and the infamous black cloth drapes blocked the back half of the room that was full of chairs and tables stacked to the ceiling. The secret service agent asked if we had anything to give to the President. I gave him a copy of the Arthritis Foundation's Principles on healthcare reform and an article about my story that was in the local newspaper. After another short wait, we heard his voice in the hallway. We all had the same look on our face and no one talked. He entered the room and we all lit up with smiles. We all got our photos taken by the white house photographer, a handshake and an introduction. I told the President my name, and how honored I was to meet him. He responded "It's very nice to meet you, too." We all took our photos and he spoke to all of us of how important our volunteer work is to the healthcare reform debate. He was very grateful for all our hard work. "The fight's not over yet, we need to keep spreading the message of health care reform. Keep up the good work," he said. I exclaimed, "You can count on us Mr. President!" Then he left the room and went straight out onto the stage to give his speech.

This was a day I will never forget! Thank you Arthritis Foundation for giving me the opportunity to help others with this disease. We may have a disease but it doesn't have to have us!

My health care nightmare!

My name is Vicki Nicholls. I was born with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have lived through many physical and mental struggles because of this disease. I am now 35 and permanently disabled. I did well in school and became a CPA (certified public accountant). At the age of 27, I needed to have a bi-lateral hip replacement. I tried to keep working until my body succumbed to the inevitable result of this crippling disease stopping me from working. This disease is now attacking not only my joints, but my muscles, ligaments, bones and organs. Most Rheumatoid Arthritis patients are disabled within 10 years of their diagnosis. 2.1 million people have this disease in the US.

Rheumatoid Arhtritis patients have been increasingly discriminated against by private insurance companies. Many insurance policies have a waiver that Rheumatoid Arthritis treatments are not covered. I am now on Medicare and do not worry about being discriminated against because it is a government plan. The part D of Medicare, however, is actually a private component. I use Blue Cross Advantage for part D. All part D policies have a "donut hole" which means after they spend $2,300 on prescriptions they stop covering the patient until they reach $4,100 in prescription costs. So now, I have no drug coverage for brand name drugs. I am in the donut hole. All of the new Rheumatoid Arthritis drugs cost from $1,000 - $3,000 per month. This is not affordable for people who rely on disability income to survive. My disease is progressing faster and I am in need of treatment immediately. This is health care in America.

Without Health Care Reform I will soon need nursing care. This will cost the taxpayers much more than if my medication was covered. Without treatment, many surgeries are soon to come. I already need both my knees operated on as a direct result of me not being able to get the treatment I so desperately need. I live in extreme pain and exhaustion due to not having my treatments. This is my last hope. There are treatments. They are not available, however, for the disabled that need them.

My fellow Americans, please understand health care is a right, not a privilege.

Health Care Rally this Friday

I want to invite everyone to a health care rally at Dodge Park in Sterling Heights, MI, this Friday June 26th from 4-7 pm ...FREE FOOD (healthy of course)!

Article about my fight for a cure!

Here is a link to a local newspaper article about my fight to find a cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

http://sourcenewspapers.com/stories/062109/loc_story1001.shtml

Arthritis Prevention Control and Cure Act of 2009

Attention all Arthritis Sufferers:

Do you have Arthritis? 46 million Americans have one or more forms of the 100 different forms of Arthritis. I know. I am just one. I was born with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis 35 years ago. I have suffered tremendously at the hands of this progressive, incurable disease. It is now time for me to put up my dukes and fight. Not just for me, for all the patients who are too disabled to fight for themselves. I have endured 35 years of discrimination from many sources: students, teachers, family, friends but most of all strangers staring. No one quite knows how to react when they hear my story. That's why I'm gonna keep on tellin' it. I want people to stop looking at me like I'm joking or I'm flat out lying, when I say "I was born with Arthritis". This is not an old person's disease. 300,000 children in the US has one form or another of Juvenile Arhtritis. We need not be ashamed. It is not our fault. No one is to blame. There, no more blaming.

How do we fix this problem? First things first, pass the Arthritis, Prevention, Control and Cure Act of 2009 (S984). This is a must! Please follow this link and READ THE BILL! http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:S.984: Then, call your Senators to co-sponsor this bill. We almost had it passed last year but the economy fell apart. If you need any information on arthrits the best place to start is www.arthritis.org This is the website to the Arthritis Foundation. They are there to help us. They have given me a new lease on life and I will always be grateful to them for showing me I can make a difference. If I can do it, you can do it to! Peace and Blessings, Vicki

Get Sick-Go Bankrupt! The American Way

Hi Everyone,

These statistics are scary.  Please forward this article to as many people as possible.  If we are all paying so much in insurance, co-pays, deductibles, etc.  Why don't we pay ourselves the money (taxes, we actually ARE the government and own all assets) instead of lining the fatcats on wall street (insurance giants like AIG, who we had to pay anyway, again).  This is what a single payer system would actually do.  I have done research on other countries health systems.  Ever notice how the new and exciting research studies come from Europe? They have it right when it comes to health care.  The insurance companies are scared they won't be able to get their million dollar bonuses anymore, once the taxpayers figure out that the government insurance is BETTER and cheaper than private.  I know, I have had both.  Please let me know your opinions!

http://www.emaxhealth.com/1020/72/31551/despite-health-insurance-medical-costs-lead-bankruptcy.html