I support Andrew because of Eli

(by Betty Lehman)

I am a single parent of a child with autism, and I am supporting Andrew Romanoff for United States Senate.  I want to tell you why, and ask you to support him as well.

When my son Eli was insured by United Healthcare, he was entitled to speech therapy.  This therapy was important because autism can create an almost insurmountable barrier to verbal communication.  If he could learn to communicate, it would change his life.

United Healthcare denied the claim.  After two years of argument, accompanied by 300 pages of paperwork which United Healthcare "lost" 8 times, a hearing was set.  The night before the hearing they agreed to pay the bill because, had I won, the ruling would apply to everyone. Paying the bill ensured that everyone else would have to go through the same onerous process.  The claim was only for $500.  I'm sure that most parents of disabled children give up, and that this is the insurance company's intention.

When the CEO of United Healthcare, William McGuire, left the company his severance package was worth over a billion dollars. NEWSMEAT, a campaign donor search site, lists McGuire in its "Hall of Fame," with contributions totaling $148,967. 

Justin Dart, a Medal of Freedom recipient and a champion of disability rights said, "Get involved with politics as if your life depends on it; because it does."

Should William McGuire be able to take away your rights because he can buy influence and you can't?

I am horrified that Democrats in Congress are giving up on a public plan to compete with the insurance companies.   They are surrendering because of the moneyed strength of the insurance company lobby and the riches that companies like United Healthcare contribute to candidates.  I see from the Federal Election Commission website that the United Healthcare PAC contributed to Andrew's opponent.  The contributions from insurance companies influence Congress.  When they get more influence, we get less.

No family should have to fight so hard to get coverage they've already paid for.  Thanks to Andrew Romanoff, in Colorado they won't have to.  Andrew sponsored a law cracking down on insurance companies that fail to pay valid claims.  The insurance industry fought him every step of the way, but he won -- and we won. 

That's the kind of leadership we need right now in the U.S. Senate.  Unfortunately, too many Senators put the interests of their corporate contributors ahead of their own constituents.

Andrew Romanoff won't.  He's refusing to take money from corporate interest groups.  Nearly 95 percent of Andrew's contributors live right here in Colorado.

The only way Washington will ever work for people like Eli and me is when we elect people like Andrew.

In the state legislature Andrew fought for us.  Now we need to fight for him. 

Please go to andrewromanoff.com and make as generous a contribution as you can.  It takes a lot of little money to get big money out of politics.

Andrew Romanoff will be the best Senator money can't buy.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Betty Lehman