Where and to whom do I write?

Question

Does anybody know the appropriate place and person to send a letter or petition concerning Medicare reform? I have a petition signed by a lot of people who feel that Medicare should cover dental work. People on Medicare are retired elderly people or people with a disability who cannot work. Dentists will not work on your teeth unless you pay for the work when it is done. Nobody I know (myself included) on Medicare has $4,000 at the ready for a crown. I currently need in excess of $8,000 worth of dental work done and my dentist will not do anything about it because I cannot pay him up front and he will not let me make monthly payments. It's not that I do not take care of my teeth. I had great teeth until I became disabled and had to start taking several medications which cause dry mouth, which causes decay (at a rapid pace) I am only 47 yrs. old and now I am going to have to sit here while my teeth rot out of my head because I have no dental insurance and cannot afford it.....I cannot afford to have my teeth fixed....even the dental school wants payment when services are rendered and while they are 40% cheaper, I don't have 40% of $8,000 anymore than I have the $8,000. To whose attention do I bring this and send this petition?

Answer 1

You can send a 'copy' to your locally elected member or MP of your electorate and arrange a face to face meeting with them.

They will be responcable to take this letter to the next state government meeting for acknowledgement of conserns with people in there electorate. Then it is up to the state government to bring this issue up in the federal senate.

Answer 2

Writing letters is virtually useless unless you really kick ***. You have to compose that letter with the severity of writing your own obituary,so to speak. Few people are capable of this. The best thing to do is write a letter anyway and vote accordingly.Beyond this stop feeling quite so helpless as a friend of mine recently had some major dental surgery done through a dental school for almost nothing. Research your options- I know that this is a sorry society- but surely there is something available- the thing is that if you own any property social services will request that you become homeless first before they will help you (Its' the 'Christian' side of conservatism). Good luck and if their is a God may He bless you.  

Answer 3

They know about it, and they don't care.

I can remember when they also didn't cover glasses after cataract surgery, isn't it wonderful to think that we, in this country don't care if the elderly see?

Thank heaven for the operation that changed their need.

If not the government.

In the meantime, if you  have a credit card, many dentists take that, otherwise you may have to have the teeth pulled, a full denture is cheaper than a partial, and way cheaper than a crown,  not an ideal solution, but that's the best that can be offered right now.

Don't lose your hearing either.