Mistreated by the insurance giants

Jody Polka

GOOD MORNING, my name is Jody Polka. I live in Frankfort, Illinois. I am here today to tell you my family's story, and why we must make all of our elected officials know that we the people of Illinois urgently need change now.

Our story started a year ago yesterday. My dad, Cyril Strezo--a strong, active, young 58-year-old man who had always lived a healthy lifestyle, never smoking or drinking alcohol--was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.

We had consultations with his doctors. They all seemed confident that he could possibly beat it, but at the very least, control the cancer. We were told that aggressive chemo with radiation would do the trick, followed by surgery and extra chemo, just for good measure.

We were all hopeful, most of all, my dad. We were all ready for my dad's fight. He was gearing up for the chemo and radiation, and we were ready to by his side, night and day, for help and support.

Imagine our horror when we found out from his doctor that the private insurance company, UniCare, had stepped in and told the oncologist to find a different chemo--they wouldn't allow my dad to receive the aggressive chemo he so desperately needed.

We continued on with a less effective chemo, rather than waste valuable time waiting. It didn't work. The chemo treatment didn't contain the cancer. By October 2007, we learned the cancer had spread to my dad's liver.

The oncologist told us not to give up. With the aggressive chemo, he could contain the cancer. By now, UniCare had seen firsthand that when they stepped in and changed the doctor's treatment, it was detrimental. My dad's oncologist scheduled the chemo right away.

The night before, the first treatment was to start, UniCare once again called the oncologist and again said they still would not allow my dad's chemo. The official reason was that it was "experimental."

The doctor called me that night and gave me the news. I was told that the oncologist had himself been on the phone with UniCare for hours, pleading to give my dad the medical treatment he needed. He told me this was unbelievable, because even Medicare covers this chemo.

Somebody sitting at a desk, without any degrees in medicine, decided that night that my dad was to be denied common everyday treatments. The minute I got off the phone with the oncologist, I went to the FDA Web site. The so-called "experimental" chemo had been FDA-approved in 1996. This was not experimental; it was modern day, medically proven treatment.

I immediately appealed UniCare's denial in writing. I checked every day on the status of my appeal, and each day, I was told, "There is no appeal scanned in our system yet." This went on for weeks. After two weeks, I was frantic. I felt that I had been backed into a corner, and UniCare was standing over me, dangling my dad's life.

I finally contacted every elected official I could vote for, and every news media outlet. One of the local papers featured a front-page article. That was when state Rep. Mary Flowers stepped in. Between her help, the attorney general's office and the press applying pressure, UniCare finally allowed my dad's medicine.

It took a month. A month that meant life or death. A month my dad could not waste. The night before the chemo was to start, we had to call 911. We found out later in the evening that the cancer--which time after time could have been contained--had now spread to his brain.

This was in December. By February 2008, my dad needed hospice, and five days before Easter Sunday, UniCare came calling again. This time, they decided that my dad should no longer be eligible for hospice. As my dad lay dying, UniCare was still denying. We lost my dad on Easter Sunday.

My dad was the most amazing father and grandfather. He was a man who built his life on family and helping others. He loved to be the man everyone went to whenever they needed anything. He would see people down on their luck and, no questions asked, hand a perfect stranger $20. His life mattered. My dad had the most contagious laugh. He was the life of the party, and his smile would make anything all better.

My dad will not be here to celebrate his 37th wedding anniversary with my mom. Dad won't be here to walk my little sister down the aisle or rock my little brother's baby to sleep. He will not be here to cheer on my son as he makes a touchdown. He won't be here to attend Grandparent's Day at my daughter's school. My dad, my hero, is not here for me to hug, and UniCare made sure of it.

My dad paid his $2,400 a month insurance premiums. He held up his part of the deal. UniCare decided a year ago that they would continue to cash that check but not insure my dad. They dictated the treatment or lack of treatment my dad was going to have. They knew that if they delayed and denied, my dad would wind up in hospice, because it was more cost-efficient. Then when he did finally wind up at hospice, they denied that. They tried to deny my dad from dying in peace and without pain. Not only did UniCare take my dad's life, they tried to make him suffer until the end.

My dad's fight lives on, in me and you.

Had my dad been eligible for Medicare, he would have received his treatments, and he would be here today. We need to be aware that we already have a universal health care system in place and it works. It is called Medicare. We usually don't realize just how much we need it until it's too late. We all deserve to be treated when we are sick. Private insurance forced my dad to receive substandard health care. The only thing UniCare did was increase its profit margin. They didn't insure my dad.

We need to contact our state representatives and state senators, and let it by known that we are not profits, we are people. We all deserve medicine when we are sick--this is America, not a Third World country. We need to make sure our leaders pass HB 311 now, before any more lives are lost. Thank you.

Vanessa Beck

MY NAME is Vanessa Beck. I have Crohn's disease and other chronic illnesses.

Everything about my life has been shaped by my fight--yes, fight--for medical care and medications: My career (or lack thereof), my credit, my relationships, where I live, my self-esteem, my mental health, my stress level and the very health I am trying to protect!

Here is a partial list of how I have been affected by our current evil, publicly traded, stock-optioned, profit-mongering un-health care system:

Landing my dream job out of college and having to quit because they couldn't afford to offer health insurance.

Losing jobs due to the entire days I would have to spend waiting in clinics to be seen by sliding-scale doctors.

Staying in unhealthy relationships because I needed my partners' help paying for my health care.

Bankruptcy in 2003.

Getting denied subsidized housing this year (2008) due to the 2003 bankruptcy.

Being turned away by doctors I'd been seeing for years due to their not accepting Medicaid's low reimbursement rates.

Not having money for medication, and collapsing in a Walgreens, leading to hospitalization.

Having to work under the table, with no job security or sick days or protections or Social Security credits, so I would continue to qualify for Medicaid.

Phone calls, forms, hospital billing department, visits, DHS visits, social security visits--months of these, and it still didn't get me medical coverage. I became so depressed I was hospitalized. Suicide seemed to be the best option as I was suffering so much physically to begin with, and a burden to my family.

Begging and borrowing $550 a month for COBRA, and finding that no doctors would accept it in the town I was living in.

Enduring invasive, painful medical procedures because Medicaid or private insurance wouldn't pay for non-invasive ones.

Losing my prescription coverage by mistake when an HMO took over my Medicaid and having to beg the pharmacist to give me a few pills until the HMO fixed the problem.

Waiting seven hours to get a wisdom tooth pulled, with people who drove to Chicago all the way from Springfield. Without insurance, treatment is first-come, first-served; no appointments are given.

Breaking up with my boyfriend for being a financial burden.

Insurance companies limiting my visits to specialists, and my Crohn's disease taking five years to diagnose. Immediately upon diagnosis, I had to have half of my large intestine removed and three-fourths of my small. Perhaps it wouldn't have been so with an earlier diagnosis.

Having to remain well below the poverty level, destitute, so I can qualify for disability payments, and being shocked that there is a 25-month waiting period for Medicare. Medicaid is not as comprehensive or well funded, and it is difficult finding any specialists who even accept it.

Earning any money beyond disability payments means I must pay $57 a month for Medicaid.

Skipping doctors' appointments because I don't have the money for the co-payment.

I wonder what my life might be like now--what contributions I might have made to society, what personal accomplishments I might be proud of, how financially stable I might be, how I might be able to afford to have a family, if my life was not controlled by trying to obtain health care.

I absolutely resent having to live like this--having the course of my life determined by fighting for something that should be given to all of us as one of our most basic human rights. It disgusts me that my values are not represented by this country's health care policies.