Tips on getting an op-ed published?
My wife and I are having a baby just 1.5 months from now (hooray!). And our insurance provider, Anthem Blue Cross, is cutting coverage to our local hospital network and maternity services in 10 days (boooo!). The entire process of finding out about this (via the news, not our insurance or the hospital) and getting continued coverage has been an absolute nightmare. We jumped the hoops, sent in all the required paperwork, and even got the billing department at the hospital involved. We're still only covered if we happen to be lucky enough that the doctor who is named on the continued coverage agreement happens to be on call at the time of delivery, otherwise it'll be out of pocket to the tune of $10,000 of dollars. At this point it feels like we're betting it all on red.
The response to the United Healthcare shooting illustrated just how frustrated people of the US are in their healthcare system and I'd like to do my part to continue to keep that topic front of mind in the American psyche. I've written up a little op-ed on our experience and I was wonder if any Tilderinos have managed to get one published before. Any insight would be very welcome.
I've actually had the best luck just straight up calling the local paper and talking to a human person. Sometimes on weekends they have an especially slow time and looking for local things to publish. Call up TV stations and local radio as well if you want to try, you never know if they're looking for a human interest column. And don't forget your local family support groups, and fertility clinics; they might want to include your op ed in their newsletters.
They know precisely well that's not how any of this works. Anyway good luck on Red, and congratulations again ! Three or two more weeks to 37?
Thanks Chocobean! I'll be reaching out to our local paper this week!
We're 2.5 weeks to 37! The braxton hicks are going strong and we're definitely ready for baby to be here!
Almost almost almost!! :D very exciting times ahead
That really sucks man, I'm sorry to hear that. I'm always flabbergasted (more so than usual) at how abysmal the prospect of having a child in the US seems unless you're rich or have great insurance.
For op-ed my recommendation would be try to find a smaller, more local paper? I'm assuming you're thinking of a larger paper, which seems pretty hard to get published in? I know my local paper seems to publish letters pretty frequently from people I know because it's very small and I don't think they get a lot of submissions.
Thanks, it's definitely exciting navigating the healthcare system here ;)
I appreciate everyone +1ing the local paper. I'll be reaching out to them later this week! It also makes more sense because I'm sure a number of folks will be effected by the discontinuation of coverage locally, so it makes more sense anyway.
Cheers!
Good luck!
Also, congrats by the way ;P Will this be your first?
Thanks! Yeah, it's our first. Definitely going through pre-baby jitters!
Totally normal haha! You'll crush it!
There are a million and one cliches a parent can tell someone who is about to be a parent (probably for good reason lol) but here's my favourite: "the days are long, the years are short". Everything good, bad, easy, and hard about having kids wrapped up into one little quote. Best of luck, hopefully your doctor can swing it for you guys!
Thanks! We're open to all the advice! That is a great one. We've been experiencing it with our best friends "new" baby girl who is somehow almost a year old at this point! Time really does fly.
Annnnnd, the hospital and insurance company settled!!!!! I guess they were playing a game of chicken with us as the fun collateral! Always fun!
Thanks for all the encouragement!
I just discovered the ACLU's Tips on Writing a Letter to the Editor via Naomi Kritzer's help guide for non-Minnesotans.
The ACLU tips are succinct and directed at getting your story in front of people.
Hope this helps, and I wish you an easy journey in welcoming your baby!