Right now, NOCIRC of MI is attempting to get Medicaid to stop covering circumcision. Please consider emailing or calling your Representative or Senator ASAP.
Here is a copy of the email I sent out:
Dear Senator XXXX:
I am writing you today to request you consider the status of coverage of circumcision by our state Medicaid plan. As a woman, a mother, and a Registered Nurse I encourage you to do whatever you can to stop the funding of this painful elective surgery.
Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin of the penis, as you know. Many people in our country just assume this is part of the birth of a boy, just like cutting the umbilical cord.
What they don't know is this...
A man's foreskin is a double walled tissue that unfolded is approximately 15 square inches and contains approximately 20,000 fine touch nerve endings.
80% of all men in the world are "intact" or "uncircumcised."
Our country is the only one in the world to do routine, non-medically indicated, non-religious circumcision.
The intact/circumcised rate in this country is nearing 50-50.
No medical association in the world recommends circumcision.
The American Academy of Pediatrics states: Existing scientific evidence demonstrates potential medical benefits of newborn male circumcision; however, these data are not sufficient to recommend routine neonatal circumcision.
As well they state, "procedures that may interfere with breastfeeding or traumatize the infant should be avoided or minimized." Circumcision is the most common procedure following birth. As a mother who has breastfed all three of my children, this is important to me.
Canadian, British, Australian, New Zealand and other countries have policy statements that discourage circumcision and make clear that there are no reasons to circumcise.
If you would like to read them yourself: http://www.cirp.org/library/statements/
Circumcision is not medically necessary. In the absence of medical necessity, this surgical procedure is elective. Why is Medicaid covering the cost of non-medical procedures? What other elective procedures does Medicaid cover?
I wrote a letter to the director of Medicaid about this a few years ago and he stated that it will continue to be covered because people want it, i.e. there is a demand for it.
Just because people want it does not make it right. Nearly 150 years ago people in this country thought it was their right to own slaves...
I encourage you to research on this topic, if you are unaware of what this is all about. Please visit http://nocirc.org or http://cirp.org or my personal favororite, http://nocircofmi.org/
My family is opposed to our state tax money supporting non-medically needed circumcision.
Please help our state join Arizona, California, North Dakota, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Mississippi, Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Missouri, Montana and Utah in dropping funding for this elective procedure.
Well over $1 million dollars can be put towards much needed medical care by those in need in this state.
Thank you so much for your time-
Sincerely,
Please, please consider sending something to your reps. This is how coverage was changed in the 13 other states that have stopped this being paid.
If anybody would like more information, I would be glad to forward the emails I got with all the information.
Pam
Here is a copy of the email I sent out:
Dear Senator XXXX:
I am writing you today to request you consider the status of coverage of circumcision by our state Medicaid plan. As a woman, a mother, and a Registered Nurse I encourage you to do whatever you can to stop the funding of this painful elective surgery.
Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin of the penis, as you know. Many people in our country just assume this is part of the birth of a boy, just like cutting the umbilical cord.
What they don't know is this...
A man's foreskin is a double walled tissue that unfolded is approximately 15 square inches and contains approximately 20,000 fine touch nerve endings.
80% of all men in the world are "intact" or "uncircumcised."
Our country is the only one in the world to do routine, non-medically indicated, non-religious circumcision.
The intact/circumcised rate in this country is nearing 50-50.
No medical association in the world recommends circumcision.
The American Academy of Pediatrics states: Existing scientific evidence demonstrates potential medical benefits of newborn male circumcision; however, these data are not sufficient to recommend routine neonatal circumcision.
As well they state, "procedures that may interfere with breastfeeding or traumatize the infant should be avoided or minimized." Circumcision is the most common procedure following birth. As a mother who has breastfed all three of my children, this is important to me.
Canadian, British, Australian, New Zealand and other countries have policy statements that discourage circumcision and make clear that there are no reasons to circumcise.
If you would like to read them yourself: http://www.cirp.org/library/statements/
Circumcision is not medically necessary. In the absence of medical necessity, this surgical procedure is elective. Why is Medicaid covering the cost of non-medical procedures? What other elective procedures does Medicaid cover?
I wrote a letter to the director of Medicaid about this a few years ago and he stated that it will continue to be covered because people want it, i.e. there is a demand for it.
Just because people want it does not make it right. Nearly 150 years ago people in this country thought it was their right to own slaves...
I encourage you to research on this topic, if you are unaware of what this is all about. Please visit http://nocirc.org or http://cirp.org or my personal favororite, http://nocircofmi.org/
My family is opposed to our state tax money supporting non-medically needed circumcision.
Please help our state join Arizona, California, North Dakota, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Mississippi, Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Missouri, Montana and Utah in dropping funding for this elective procedure.
Well over $1 million dollars can be put towards much needed medical care by those in need in this state.
Thank you so much for your time-
Sincerely,
Please, please consider sending something to your reps. This is how coverage was changed in the 13 other states that have stopped this being paid.
If anybody would like more information, I would be glad to forward the emails I got with all the information.
Pam
