REDONDO BEACH, CA, October 15, 2009 – Gretchen Humphries, Advocacy
Director for the International Cesarean Awareness Network accompanied
Peggy Robertson of Centennial, Colorado to a Senate hearing in the
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

Ms. Robertson testified about her experiences with discriminatory
insurance practices based on her history of cesarean. View her
testimony here. Ms. Robertson was featured in a New York Times article in
July 2008 after she was declined insurance due to her previous
cesarean. She was informed by the insurance company that her
application would be accepted if she agreed to be sterilized.

We're switching to a new insurance provider with Chad's new job.  Since I am 6 months pregnat with twins I have been wondering if insurance companies can consider pregnancy a "pre-existing" condition.  I've hear of people having to wait up to a year before they could consider becoming pregnant becasue if they were to become pregnant before that year mark their new employers insurance provider would not cover the pregnancy/birth costs.

This particular woman whom the ICAN group is assisting was faced with an incredibly oppressive situation.  Something really has to be done about our current sick health care system.  I don't even think we have a system.  What we have is arbitary corporations that care more about their own profits than the wellness of anyone they are providing insurance for.  It's a terrible cycle that is spurned by greed, fear of malpractice suits, and blatent disregard for dignity and quality of life.

I can't understand how it has gotten to this point.  Woman, like myself, are forced/scared into first time cecarean section and then usually denide the right to a Vaginal Birth after cesarean.  Now insurance companies are telling women they can be insured unless they agree to sterilization?!? What?  Incredible.  When will the politician we took care to vote for do something right for us?  When?  I know it's not going to happen with this first go at healthcare reform, but I am afraid for the future while we wait for those who can to take real action to change what this country has come to.