Cyberonics reneged on its "Lifetime Reimbursement Guarantee". Click on the image to learn how you can help...

Thursday, September 4, 2014

World suicide prevention day on September 10, 2014

From: Herbert Stein [mailto:fabrik@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2014 11:59 AM
To: Madam Secretary Sylvia Matthews Burwell, United States Secretary of Health and Human Services
Subject: World suicide prevention day on September 10, 2014

Dear Madam Secretary Burwell,

I bring to your attention that Wednesday, September 10, 2014 is world suicide prevention day.

“More than 800,000 people each year worldwide commit suicide – around one person every 40 seconds - with many using poisoning, hanging or shooting to end their own lives, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.”

“In the 15 to 29-year age group, suicide is the second leading cause of death globally.”

In each of my emails to you I have tried to convey to the best of my ability the seriousness of severe depression and now I also add the enormity of the problem.

The facts are we have for decades offered conventional therapies that for many of these patients have proven ineffective and costly to our families and economy.  This being one of several reasons we as a nation have need for newer treatment options. 

As I’ve already explained to you, one of those treatment options, VNS (Vagus Nerve Stimulation), which the FDA approved and two (2) years later CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) denied coverage has helped benefit patients who have for decades been unresponsive to conventional therapies.  In that ill-fated decision and for the first time ever CMS denied coverage for an FDA approved medical device.  We are also now learning not only with the suicide of Robin Williams, the enormity of severe depression and the suicide challenge.  Worse yet CMS left a group of volunteer study subjects and patients without medical care and coverage.  CMS through their ineptitude, ignorance, deity syndrome and/or criminality either overlooked or ignored grandfathering care and medical coverage for our fellow citizens and patients.  Bless our convoluted and bureaucratic health care system and agencies.

I also take this opportunity to inform you and others that today is “NAMI's National Day of Action”:

“Join with thousands of others on September 4th, to bring national attention to the need for comprehensive mental health legislation. Mental illness affects everyone and it’s time that we spoke up.”

Madam Secretary, I encourage you and all who read this message to please sign on and share this initiative with others while at the same time I once again implore you to sign a “Compassionate Use” document to formally cover these aggrieved VNS patients to insure proper care and to encourage the private health insurers to follow suit.

Sincerely,

Herb

Joyce and Herbert Stein

1008 Trailmore Lane

Weston, FL 33326-2816

(954) 349-8733

vnsdepression@gmail.com

http://www.vnstherapy-herb.blogspot.com

http://www.vnstherapy.wordpress.com

---------------------------------------------------------------

NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY / Disclaimer

---------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: This E-Mail is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521 and is legally privileged. The information contained in this E-Mail is intended only for use of the individual or entity named above. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you receive this E-Mail in error, please notify the sender immediately at the email address and/or phone number above and delete the information from your computer. Please do not copy or use it for any purpose nor disclose its contents to any other person.

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message including attachments, if any, is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail, destroy all copies of the original message, and do not disseminate it further. If you are the intended recipient but do not wish to receive communications through this medium, please advise the sender immediately.

No comments:

Post a Comment