[My*Scorpio]

Our government is still struggling to balance it's budget. It's a great time to write to your state senator and representative and the members of the Community Health Committee asking to end Medicaid funding of routine infant circumcision.

To find your representative:

http://house.michigan.gov/find_a_rep.asp

To find your senator:

http://senate.michigan.gov/FindYourS...ichiganfys.asp

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/07/01/St...circumci.shtml (print article and include with letter)

And here's my letter:

To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Dear Members of the Community Health Committee,

I am writing you because you are members of the Community Health Committee. I have a cost savings suggestion for the Michigan's Medicaid budget. In this time of budget crisis and unprecedented cuts, Michigan's Medicaid system should STOP using TAX DOLLARS to pay for medically UNNECESSARY routine infant circumcision SURGERY performed at parental request. Please work to eliminate the waste of unnecessary circumcisions from the Medicaid budget. This cut was made to the Florida Medicaid budget in 2003, saving the taxpayers millions of dollars annually:

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/07/01/St...circumci.shtml

A few facts about circumcision:

* Circumcision is no longer recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, or any other national or international medical association, as numerous studies have not been able to prove any benefit.
* Circumcision is painful and usually performed without anesthetic.
* The risks of circumcision including excessive bleeding, infection, surgical mistakes, and death.
* Circumcision results in a loss of sensitivity and may result in sexual dysfunction.
* Circumcision is illegal to perform on female infants.

This is an unethical procedure to force on a non-consenting person. I do not want my tax money to pay for this!

Sincerely,
Jennifer LastName
Street Address
City, State ZIP

 

[lilylove]

Great idea

 

[mamamook]

I agree! I sent this on to the Parenting Arts email group in A2.

 

[Sileree]

I'll definitely do this.

 

[LittleRockstar]

Great idea! I wonder if there any way to come up with a reasonable estimate for how much it would save. It would be nice to include numbers.

 

[valmich]

The Department of Community Health budget bill (House Bill 4344) has already been sent to conference committee. That means it will be up to just three senators and three representatives to work out where the money gets allocated. Once the conference committee comes to an agreement on it, the entire community health budget will be put to a simple yes or no vote before the whole Senate and House of Representatives -- no amendments, no changes. The members of the conference committee are: Reps. Gary McDowell, George Cushingberry, Bruce Caswell and Sens. Roger Kahn, John Pappageorge, Deb Cherry. Since these people are going to be the ones making the decisions, our best bet is to contact them directly (not that it would hurt to contact your local people as well). Just make sure to say in your letters that you are writing them because they are members of the community health conference committee so they don't pass you off to your local legislator, who really isn't in a position to help you in this case.

 

[My*Scorpio]

Oh no! I already wrote Pappageorge, who disagreed with me! I live in his district.

 

[sfashho2]

I just sent a letter to Mike Bishop. Thanks for the letter format. Fantastic idea!