UOAA Seeking Patient Advocates

[UOAA-AdvocacyManager]

We are working on several advocacy efforts. For two of them we are at a stage in strategy where we now require patient stories and documentation.

If you are interested in helping us and meet either of these criterion, please contact me at advocacy@ostomy.org for further details in the hopes you can be a patient advocate for us.

1) You are a Medicare beneficiary and within the past 6 months, your supplier submitted a claim for a product that you medically require greater than the allowable limit and the claim was denied.

OR

2) Within the past 6 months, you were receiving care in rehab, or a nursing home or from a Home Health Agency, and you received very poor, inadequate (quite frankly completely unacceptable) care with regards to your ostomy.

Thank you for your consideration in assisting our organization make an impact!

Jeanine Gleba
UOAA Advocacy Manager

[dogtalkerer]

what is the low number and high end number of patients per county that have an ostomy, that are in rehab,a nursing home or home care?

for example Ron from mich is the only person i've seen here from within 200-300 miles. I realize there are more, but how many more?

simple math suggests 125 people per county in US, given 3200 counties and 400,000 ostomies in US. of course population is not spread evenly.
or 0,12 percent of the population has an ostomy. quick google look ups.

everyone always wants a specialist for a situation, but how realistic is this idea? how does an advocate insure expertise? how are they trained?
advocates tend to be self proclaimed experts, this is not good.

jp

[To Dream a Dream]

Although I don't fall into either category at present, I praise Jeanine Gleba & her associates who spend time & effort on behalf of all for what is often a seemingly thankless role. Over the last forty two years that I have lived with an ostomy, I've seen & appreciated what the advocacy of UOAA has accomplished. God bless all who boldly work to support their peers in the face of a frequently harsh reality. If even one incident such as what occurred last winter can be prevented, your efforts have not been in vain.

[LeoandMary1995]

I have to add our kudos to Jeanine in her awareness and advocacy for all things ostomy, especially in our state legislatures!