This morning I got up late and instead of packing a lunch for work, I decided to spend my precious free time playing around on the computer instead. I figured I'd buy lunch at the Amish farmer's market right across the street from where I work. Little did I know what was in store for me there.
12:30 rolled around and I ventured across the street, still feeling a little blue about the pregnancy news in the family. Lo and behold, who should be standing outside the door to the market but my state respresntative and one of the candidates for state senate. The state senate candidate, Jo.ann Christian.sen, shook my hand, asked me to vote for her and said she would be trying to address the issues that are important to voters. "Really." I said. "Well since you mentioned it, what's your position on mandating insurance coverage for infertility here in the great state of Dela.ware?" Oh," said replied, flustered. "Well that's a very important issue. It's such a painful thing." Uh, no duh, I wanted to say. My question is: what are you going to about it? Instead, I smiled and said "Did you know that studies show that if insurance companies covered infertility treatments it would only cause a cost increase of $2 per capita, per year? Because of the high cost of treatments, women are more likely to engage in medical risk-taking in order to assure them of a positive outcome. Insurance will pay far more to treat permanent health issues related to high-risk pregnancies and births than they will to cover safe treatments. This also opens the door to a better regulated inudstry which will protect infertile men and women."
At this point Mi.ke Cas.tle, our state representative, stepped in, seeing that his partner was clearly in over her head. "You have to get organised." he told me. "Get your facts and figures together. Insurance companies will argue with cost, not with emotion." I eyed him. "As a matter of fact we are organised." I replied. "I don't know if you've ever heard of RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association. I actually came to your office about a year and half ago to speak to you about some of these issues, along with several other members of RESOLVE. I was unable to meet with you but I met with your aide. I also met with Senator Bi.den's aide and gave him my facts and figures. (I named both the aides at this point; I have a fantastic memory for that sort of thing.) Bid.en's aide told me that now we were adopting, I was sure to get pregnant. This from a former reproductive endocrinologist! Do you see why I don't think this issue is being taken seriously? We've been lobbying for this for five years. What more can we do to make sure this issue is addressed?"
I don't think they quite knew what to do with me. I wasn't shouting or even acting very upset but I wasn't going to be put off by any of their pat answers, either. Ca.stle replied that there are issues he's been lobbying for for 16 years and that we have to press on. He said that this is a minority issue and basically said that it's not very important to the people in charge, giving me the sense that it's not very important to him, either. "We're a country that takes care of its minorities," I said. "Or at least we should be. Infertility affects thousands of men and women each year and plenty of them live here in Dela.ware." My fingers were itching for the data I got from RESOLVE last time I went to lobby, out of date though it is. I'm sure the numbers of infertile men and women in this state have increased, not decreased.
Cas.tle argued that insurance companies don't assess ancillary costs like more medical care because of a high-risk pregnancy and birth. He implied that I'd have a tough time proving it. And he might be right. But I'm angry now, angry at how dismissive he was toward this issue. I realize that lunchtime in front of the Amish market is not the ideal environment for discussing this topic. But for goodness's sake, make an appointment with me to talk about it more at a later date. Show some concern. This is a major issue affecting at least 10% of your constituency!
The one thing he did recommend is contacting majority leaders and he mentioned the Congressional leader Nan.cy Pel.osi specifically by name. Organized we are, thanks to RESOLVE. But we need to do more. So here's what I'm doing. I've begun doing research, trying to assemble facts and figures with which to beat down the doors of my state representative. My plan is to try to assemble what Cas.tle asked for and take it to him. I'd like to contact the people he mentioned. And I think it would be cool if you do, too. If you live in Del.aware and you want to be involved, please contact me. I don't know what this is going to turn into or if it will even go very far. All I know is that fifteen minutes of one lunch break isn't going to get the job done. If any of you have recent figures that you'd like to send to me, I'd really appreciate it. Together we can do this.
