Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Stop the Honor Killings by US Insurers

The health insurance companies have a stranglehold on the insured and women in particular have been garroted just for being female. (For women who are uninsured, fuggedaboutit.) Whether women are being told to get sterilized in order to obtain health insurance, or having their policies canceled after they get breast cancer, or denied insurance altogether due to a "pre-existing condition" of having been beaten by their husbands, it feels like insurance companies are misogynistic fat cats from Hell. Meanwhile our elected officials laugh at us while pocketing big bucks from the insurance industry and voting to maintain the status quo.

But enough about those of us lucky enough to still be alive despite what feels like a war on women by the insurance companies and their Congressional BFFs. Let's remember Crystal Lee Sutton who was forced to go without treatment for her brain cancer for months while she fought with her insurance company. She died in September 2009. 17 year old Nataline Sarkisyan's Mother fought with her insurance company over their denial of a recommended liver transplant which the insurer finally approved the day she died in 2007.

How are these different from so-called honor killings? A woman becomes a victim by virtue of her gender and "dishonors" the reputation (profit margin) of her family (insurance company). Therefore, she must die to restore honor (profit). This is tradition. This is the system men have designed for us and we must live by. Unless...

Take Action - Call your Representative and both your Senators and tell them you support President Obama's plan for health care reform. And get your sound minded husbands, partners and male friends to call too. We want an end to discriminatory practices against women by the insurance industry. Equal rights to health care for an equal chance to live!

No comments: