Brain Injury Blog | Traumatic Brain Injury TBI

On January 24, 2010, Dateline NBC aired the compelling story of Patrick Gannon, a man who battled a severe anoxic brain injury and was then forced to wage war against his insurance company. The Dateline story accurately portrays how the health care system victimizes patients and families when they are most vulnerable.

The following letter from Susan H. Connors President/CEO urges action on the part of the BIAA and their members, please read and forward to your colleagues and friends.

January 27, 2010

Dear Advocates,

Health care reform at the federal level is officially on hold. Republican Scott Brown gained the Massachusetts seat vacated by the death of Edward Kennedy, thereby breaking the 60‐vote majority in the Senate. Democrats met privately in the days following the Massachusetts special election but were unable to cultivate a strategy for moving forward at this time.

A six‐week break is planned, and it is likely policymakers will be forced to accept a substantially scaled‐back package or abandon health care reform altogether.

The Brain Injury Association of America is deeply disappointed. Through our partnership with the Brain Injury Business & Professional Council, we made important gains in the proposed legislation. We cannot forgo this progress; we cannot quit now. We will continue to fight for access to the full continuum of brain injury treatment.

On January 24, 2010, Dateline NBC aired the compelling story of Patrick Gannon, a man who battled a severe anoxic brain injury and was then forced to wage war against his insurance company. The Dateline story accurately portrays how the health care system victimizes patients and families when they are most vulnerable.

I urge brain injury advocates everywhere to watch Patrick’s story and then write to Ann Curry, Dateline correspondent, to thank her for bringing national attention to the extraordinary challenges individuals with brain injury and their families face. I urge advocates to share their own stories with Ms. Curry and ask that she continue to educate the public about the rehabilitation needs of people with brain injury after their lives have been saved. Please address your letters to:

Ms. Ann Curry
Dateline / NBC News
30 Rockefeller Center, Studio 3B
New York, NY 10012
E‐mail: Dateline@NBCUNI.com

Once you’ve written your letter (and sent copies to your legislators and BIAA), I ask that you share the Dateline story with friends and neighbors and that you encourage them to spread the story to others. With your help, we can tell the public that a brain injury can happen to anyone at anytime and that having insurance doesn’t mean you’re covered!

Very truly yours,
Susan H. Connors
President/CEO