Comments on: Replies From My Elected Officials http://www.usatechguide.org/blog/replies-from-my-elected-officials/ United Spinal Association Wed, 16 May 2012 04:17:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: James Weisman http://www.usatechguide.org/blog/replies-from-my-elected-officials/comment-page-1/#comment-207353 James Weisman Tue, 06 Apr 2010 18:30:25 +0000 http://www.usatechguide.org/blog/?p=1543#comment-207353 I wrote my Congressman, the Honorable Peter King,(R)NY, about healthcare reform. He referes to the reform legislation as "Obamacare" and was a staunch opponent. I told him about all the people with disabilities who remain dependent on government or go uninsured because of preexisting condition exclusions,limitations and waiting periods; about lifetime and annual benefit caps that have the effect of limiting or denying care and about our company's health insurance buying nightmare. This year our insurer asked for a 30% increase - we shopped and changed carriers and still had to deal with a 21% increase in costs, and this after a decade of annual increases of 10% or more. I asked him his solution to both the problems of people with disabilities who having difficulty obtaining medical insurance and runaway costs. I have yet to hear from him. I wrote my Congressman, the Honorable Peter King,(R)NY, about healthcare reform. He referes to the reform legislation as “Obamacare” and was a staunch opponent. I told him about all the people with disabilities who remain dependent on government or go uninsured because of preexisting condition exclusions,limitations and waiting periods; about lifetime and annual benefit caps that have the effect of limiting or denying care and about our company’s health insurance buying nightmare. This year our insurer asked for a 30% increase – we shopped and changed carriers and still had to deal with a 21% increase in costs, and this after a decade of annual increases of 10% or more. I asked him his solution to both the problems of people with disabilities who having difficulty obtaining medical insurance and runaway costs. I have yet to hear from him.

]]> By: Bill Fertig http://www.usatechguide.org/blog/replies-from-my-elected-officials/comment-page-1/#comment-207350 Bill Fertig Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:28:01 +0000 http://www.usatechguide.org/blog/?p=1543#comment-207350 Two thoughts.... 1. I think the frustration mostly comes not from the auto-response (at least we know the email was received) but from the follow up response, or lack thereof. 2. Personally, I DO have a bit of that 'good feeling' when remitting a well-considered email to one of my Representatives. I do that just often enough to appreciate the thoughts expressed above. I guess I need to be pretty satisfied with my own Representatives (the honorables) as the responses I have received from them were fairly timely AND customized to the inquiry I made. Now, anyone could see that these responses were only slightly customized from a pre-prepared template to expedite those responses to constituents but I'd expect that, even respect it as it is obviously in place as a time saving mechanism. Further, I've been in the home office of one of my own State Representatives on several occasions to see first-hand how that staff responds to constituents inquiries and I have to say I was very impressed with their attention and responsiveness. Now, I DO agree that looking up the office contact info and making more direct contact would be more effective and likely elicit a more timely and considered response in most cases. Get to know the staff and make sure they know you! As Manager of Spinal Cord Central I can also relay that we receive periodic inquiries from legislative offices on behalf of some of their constituents facing local dilemmas when dealing with the aftermath of spinal cord injury or disease. And again, I have to credit those staff members for locating and reaching out to SCC and NSCIA while seeking answers for their constituents. Even more responsiveness from ALL legislative offices would certainly be better though. Bill Two thoughts….
1. I think the frustration mostly comes not from the auto-response (at least we know the email was received) but from the follow up response, or lack thereof.

2. Personally, I DO have a bit of that ‘good feeling’ when remitting a well-considered email to one of my Representatives. I do that just often enough to appreciate the thoughts expressed above. I guess I need to be pretty satisfied with my own Representatives (the honorables) as the responses I have received from them were fairly timely AND customized to the inquiry I made. Now, anyone could see that these responses were only slightly customized from a pre-prepared template to expedite those responses to constituents but I’d expect that, even respect it as it is obviously in place as a time saving mechanism.

Further, I’ve been in the home office of one of my own State Representatives on several occasions to see first-hand how that staff responds to constituents inquiries and I have to say I was very impressed with their attention and responsiveness.

Now, I DO agree that looking up the office contact info and making more direct contact would be more effective and likely elicit a more timely and considered response in most cases. Get to know the staff and make sure they know you!

As Manager of Spinal Cord Central I can also relay that we receive periodic inquiries from legislative offices on behalf of some of their constituents facing local dilemmas when dealing with the aftermath of spinal cord injury or disease. And again, I have to credit those staff members for locating and reaching out to SCC and NSCIA while seeking answers for their constituents. Even more responsiveness from ALL legislative offices would certainly be better though.
Bill

]]> By: Andrew http://www.usatechguide.org/blog/replies-from-my-elected-officials/comment-page-1/#comment-207347 Andrew Mon, 05 Apr 2010 19:38:03 +0000 http://www.usatechguide.org/blog/?p=1543#comment-207347 I agree.... those canned responses are very frustrating and if you are already unhappy with the elected official - it gives you more cause to be more unhappy.... I would encourage people to find specific staff addresses in elected leaders offices and email those people directly - that is the best way to get a response. I think most e-mail correspondence with a general e-mail address gets lost in cyberspace to never be found again..... I agree…. those canned responses are very frustrating and if you are already unhappy with the elected official – it gives you more cause to be more unhappy…. I would encourage people to find specific staff addresses in elected leaders offices and email those people directly – that is the best way to get a response. I think most e-mail correspondence with a general e-mail address gets lost in cyberspace to never be found again…..

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