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Mother Gets Friendly Note - From the President of the United States
Filed under: In The News
Stamped signature? Not on this letter. Credit: Courtesy of clickondetroit.com
What?!
Tiffany Smith did a double take. The last thing the Detroit mother expected when she went to the mailbox last week was a personal note from President Obama.Sure, she wrote to him, but he's the leader of the free world. She really wasn't expecting him to reply. But she could tell from return address this was special.
"And that's when I said, 'Oh, my God. This is from the White House'," she tells WDVIV, the NBC affiliate in Detroit.
It wasn't written by some flunky either.
"It's his actual signature at the bottom. It's not a stamped signature. It's his actual signature," Smith tells WDIV. "So, I was like, 'Wow'."
Smith wrote to Obama during the health care debate to share her 7-year-old daughter Tania's struggles with cystic fibrosis. Smith tells WDIV she explained how Tania's already been admitted to Children's Hospital in Detroit 28 times.
Smith added that she and her husband both have jobs, but are constantly strapped for cash because of costly co-pays for her daughter's 10 monthly prescriptions.
"It's a struggle, day by day," Smith wrote.
She tells WDIV the president wrote about his own struggles with his grandmother's costly medical expenses. He referred Smith to a Web site and phone number where Smith could get some help with the co-pays.
Smith tells WDIV she's grateful she even got a response.
"Thank you, Mr. president, for writing back and responding," she adds.
Related: The Obamas on Fitness and Health Care
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ReaderComments (Page 3 of 3)
3-16-2010 @ 12:34PM
Joy said...If the insurance companies didn't just keep charging more and more just-because-they-can-get-it, and if the insurance companies didn't refuse to actually pay for needed medical procedures, then it wouldn't be so hard to take when these Limbaugh-parrots say "just suck it up and quit whining".
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3-17-2010 @ 7:48AM
balticstein said...so she's strapped for cash, everyone is strapped for cash why should the rest of us pay for her brats medical insurance
she knew it was sick before she gave birth to it, it's her own damn fault
maybe she should look into Obama's deathpanel for the kid, it would save her some money.
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3-16-2010 @ 12:53PM
jantuoferm said...To Melanie---what a PHONY you are!!! And all of you that cry when people criticize this socialist president. Phony because you were probably the first on the "Let's Bash Bush" line. Now you want to stand on your pulpit and preach that it's not fair! Give us all a break!
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3-16-2010 @ 12:56PM
sam said...now you went and dun it. you just had to prove your ignorance by bringing up the race card again. no one has said anything about his race. it takes a black person to always bring up race into everything. you must feel threated again. so now we are supposed to all bend over and bow to your ideas because you are a racist? i think not. i dont bow to anyone, and never will. you however, can go ahead and just bend over and take it again. how much has the man in power actually done for your race? ever?
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3-16-2010 @ 1:00PM
mcgowann said...This healthscare bill is actually a health reform bill. It is not going to reduce the actual cost of healthcare. If passed, the taxes start immediately but the benefits won't start for 4 years. So, with each of these sob stories the liberals throw out and then say we need to pass this bill to get these people help now, they won't see it for at least 4 more years.
All it is, actually, is expanding Medicaid. A large portion of the cost is passed on to state. Medicaid is already 26% of the state budget in Florida. Our states are just as broke as our federal government. With continued increases in forclosures and job loses, state and federal tax dollars are decreasing. It's a terrible time to start a entitlement program. It would be like buying a new car the day after you get laid off from your job.
The insurance companies make 3% profit. They spend 6% on administration and salaries. Somebody has to run the business, print the checks that go to doctors and hospitals and process and record premium payments. It's just how a business works. You can't have a business with no employees. The rest, 91%, goes to paying the doctors and hospitals for expensive treatments and tests. Apple computer boasted a 16.5% profit last year. I don't hear anyone complaining about that.
This health insurance mandate plan is going to increase insurance rates and will do nothing to reduce the cost of actual healthcare.
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3-16-2010 @ 6:52PM
boots661 said...When discussing profits and percentages, your numbers while they sound dismal and unfair, you fail to include actual dollar amounts.Your comparison of Apple computers to health insurance companies is like comparing the corner grocery store to Wallmart. 2% to 5% profit would kill the corner grocery store but Wallmart can easily survive with numbers like that, because of sheer volume and customer exposure.Now when discussing healthcare, Perhaps you should Google particular CEO salaries. I don't know about you, 9 million dollars a year for one executive in a company with many high paid execs.and profits in the billions. I can't think of anyone on the planet that is worth that kind of money. Maybe if they possess the ability to create world peace I would say it was worth the money. Unfortunately, salaries that large reflect nothing but pure unrestrained greed. Secondly, Apple computers actually invents things, they have research and development to pay for. . Health insurance providers make their money solely on the backs of the sick and by finding ways to deny care to those very people
3-16-2010 @ 1:12PM
711 said...MaxiesMom - I was wondering if you were aware that almost 100% of people with cystic fibrosis never live to see 30 years old? It is truly sad that you feel the need to justify your heartless comments by comparing the plight of your unemployed son with the heartache of a couple who know they will never see their daughter enjoy all the gifts life has to offer. You know, the things you can look forward to enjoying with your son: marriage, grandchildren, etc. While I sympathize with those having trouble finding work ( I work for a NYC union, so I am out of work from time to time myself), I would never compare apples to oranges. We are ALL in this together, as AMERICANS. So instead of being bitter how about having a little compassion and understanding for one of YOUR own.
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3-16-2010 @ 1:36PM
Christina said...I don't think it's fair to trivialize the suffering of others because they aren't losing their child to a tragic illness.
3-16-2010 @ 1:54PM
SB said...Why is it that he only reaches out to places like Detroit? And usually it's to an African American family. It's really ridiculous how he only responds to African Americans, if you think I'm wrong, prove it.
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3-16-2010 @ 1:59PM
SB said...GET RID OF WELFARE AND USE THAT MONEY TO FUND HEALTHCARE FOR ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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3-16-2010 @ 2:46PM
boots661 said...It's funny to read these posts and to realize how irrational and uninformed people are, and how they don't think before they post. People all over the country are crying "foul" and using terms like socialism when they refer to health care reform. Many of these people are saying "I want government to keep their hands off my medicare!" Your point is well taken and I think government should keep their hands off of medicare.
So to accomplish this we will have to eliminate medicare completely, and while we're at it, let's eliminate social security, because both programs are government managed. But we don't want "socialism" right? So those programs must go! And lets not forget the FDA, because they are telling us what medicines are safe, and insure that the food we eat is safe. You think people are angry now? Can you imagine what would happen if those "socialist" programs were eliminated? I just had an ankle replacement surgery. My insurance wouldn't cover it because they considered it experimental, however if I was 65, it would have been covered by medicare. Medicare has considered ankle replacements medically necessary for years. Fortunately, after a year of fighting, I received my ankle, and can return to work in 3 months. Why should health care be only available to people over 65? The people that are collecting social security, and medicare benefits and fighting reform should consider how bad their lives would be without those programs. Additionally, the others that oppose reform, I guarantee will be eating their words (God forbid) should they suffer a catastrophic illness. Health care for all will not be free. And neither party has a way to make it free. But I'm sure if someone out there has a way to do it for free, by all means bring it on. Otherwise, be careful what you wish for.
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3-17-2010 @ 1:39PM
MLH said...You think anyone under the age of 30 is going to see any money from Social Security??? You think the FDA isn't a little corrupt in it's "approval" of the foods and drugs we take?
For Example: In 1990 the FDA approved a bovine growth hormone to increase milk production in cows although research found this hormone was linked to thyroid and prostate cancer, that didn't even come out to the public until 1998. This hormone is banned in the European Union, Japan, Canada, and every other industrialized nation...but you're right they definately have our best interest at heart, it's not about money for these government run agencies.
And those insurance agencies that made you wait for your ankle replacement...they're SUPPORTING this reform...hmmmm I wonder what is going on there, why would these horrible money stealing selfish insurance companies support this reform? I'm guessing you're not going to be seeing this amazing change that would have gotten you that surgery had it been in place at the time you needed. What's worse is Medicare and Welfare is so easily abused due to no one paying attention to whether the people who are recieving aid truly need it.
What's wrong with taking care of yourself? When did self reliance and responsibility become a bad thing? What happened to helping those who truly need it instead of handing out free food and medical care to people who would prefer to spend their money on luxuries rather than their necessities? The people who really do need the help from Medicare and Welfare are being hurt by these people.
And our ignorance and blinded following of agencies such as the FDA and USDA expose us to much more harm than good.
5-14-2010 @ 12:30AM
Elijah said...The point is being missed here.It's not the content of the letter it's the fact that Obama replied to her letter that he's a "regular Joe"...imagine if every citizen of the US wrote him...no they wouldn't get a personal response but he felt the issue was important enough to warrant a response.I'm not a fan of Obama (I didn't even vote for him), and maybe the letter was "campaigning" but he did take the time to respond..give him credit for that
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