Broward School Board Member Says Medical Choices in Jeopardy

by Sharon Aron Baron December 1, 2014

by Sharon Aron Baron December 1, 2014 14 views

By: Nora Rupert

I am one of 27,000 women who work for Broward County Public Schools (BCPS). I am part of the 75 percent of the female majority of those employees and 1 of 9 women who serves on an all woman Broward County School Board. I am but one voice of the 27,000.

Thirty-six hundred of us are having our personal choice of OB/GYN medical professional taken away by mid-November. Some may say that it doesn’t affect you. I am here to tell you it does.

First, your OB/GYN choice of specialist is taken away. Next, it could be your endocrinologist, heart surgeon, radiologist or hospital. When bureaucrats begin to dictate our first choice of medical care, it is time to take a stand and say “no!”

According to Dr. Mona Saraiya, Associate Director for the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control at the Center for Disease Control & Prevention, 44 percent of preventative care visits were to OB/GYN specialists and 56 percent to primary care physicians. Women from their 20’s to 40’s typically fall into the first group. These, and all, women deserve to keep their personal physician relationships intact.

Aetna/Coventry has contracted with the School Board since 1995 and is now the sole health care provider for the District. Is this how you reward 19 years of business – by alienating 75 percent of your clients?

Aetna/Coventry: your letter advising us that VitalMD doctors will no longer be a part of our coverage stated that Vital MD requested an increase in payments and that they “would likely” increase costs. Did you even run the numbers? I find it appalling that you are using Broward County Public School women as pawns in your profit sharing index.

I implore you to negotiate in good faith with Vital MD and agree to a new contract that will be in the best interest of the female employees of BCPS. Stop the assault on women employees and their right to continue to have this “vital” health care choice.

Sincerely,

Nora Rupert
nora.rupert@browardschools.com

Are you a school employee living in Tamarac, Lauderhill, Sunrise or North Lauderdale? Write to the following school board members if you want to keep your choice of medical professional in your plan:

Donna Korn donna.korn@browardschools.com

Rosalind Osgood rosalind.osgood@browardschools.com

Robin Bartleman rbartleman@browardschools.com

Ann Murray ann.murray@browardschools.com

Patricia Good patricia.good@browardschools.com

Heather Pomper Brinkworth heather.brinkworth@browardschools.com

Laurie Rich Levinson laurie.richlevinson@browardschools.com

Abby M. Freedman abby.freedman@browardschools.com

Author Profile

Sharon Aron Baron

Sharon Aron Baron is the Editor of Talk Media and Tamarac Talk, Coral Springs Talk, and Parkland Talk. Tamarac Talk was created in 2011 to provide News for the residents of Tamarac and is the #1 News Source for Residents.