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Steve Cannon-English
Tucson, AZ
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Steve signed the petition | -
Steve commented on the petition |As a priest in the Anglican tradition, I am asking you to think and to pray about what you are doing. All of God's children deserve respect and love. Your actions show no respect, love, concern or caring about the children of your district. Perhaps another choice of profession would be better than doing a job you are clearly not cut out for. Support equality and love for all people or get out of Four Bluffs and let someone who cares about children take your place.
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Steve signed the petition |
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Steve signed the petition | -
Steve signed the petition | -
Steve signed the petition | -
Steve signed the petition | -
Steve signed the petition | -
Steve signed the petition | -
Steve commented on the article |One thing we truly need is to have advocates for patients. I am going through a drama now. I had a biopsy of leg muscle on Dec. 4 2008. I am still waiting for final results (prelim results were sent to my doctors Dec. 14 but the electron microscopy has yet to be done). Medicare and myself have been billed.
I called the hospital where the labs were being done to complain about being billed prior to results and was told by "customer service" that they are only there to make payment arrangements. I asked to speak with a supervisor and was told I could talk to voice mail. Finally I asked for a patient advocate. She called the lab and was told the results had been faxed to my doctors on Dec. 14. I called the doctors back only to find that these results were only the preliminaries.
I have waited almost 8 weeks now to find out if I have muscular dystrophy. My doctors offices do not call me--I have to call them. Today, I was told to stop calling so often (I have called 3 times in 8 weeks) because they have "many other patients". When I stated there is no communication unless I initiate it, I was told "we have many other patients and cannot keep track of remembering to call the lab about one patient". When I asked what I should do (I am a total emotional wreck waiting to find out what is wrong with me) to get information, I was told I should wait and the doctor will call me when and if there is any information.
I asked the medical assistant to read to me what the report said about the pending work and found it said "the remaining specimin is being kept in formalin pending a possible electron microscopy". This means that the test I've been waiting on has not even been done yet. I asked if it had been ordered and the medical assistant said she didn't know. I asked her to ask the doctor and she told me she would but that I should not call her back but wait for her to call me and that it wouldn't be today---maybe next week (today is Monday).
The fact is that I do have the best doctors in town. I do not doubt their skill or talent but I find that I need an advocate to make sure things are getting done and that I get information at all. The hospital lab can't talk to me and my doctor's offic won't.
If we had universal care, I sincerely hope that patient advocates would be part of it to make sure that things are done, labs followed-up and have someone to help the patient to get things done that the doctors offices won't or can't do and to go between the doctor and patients to ensure communication of some kind.
In the meantime, I am calling Medicare to have them investigate why I am being billed prior to final results from the lab. Sounds like possible medicare fraud to me! A simple biopsy test should not be over $1,000.00 (my share is $60.00 which is still hard to handle on less than $1,000.00/month in Social Security benefits but who cares? Now Washington!)
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