Jessi Martin, 7, a diabetic from Williamsburg, reads the book “A Little Story About A Big Turnip,” to Governor Bob Taft’s executive health advisor, Christine Oliver.
Years ago, the American Diabetes Association drafted legislation known as the Diabetes Cost Reduction Act. If passed in Ohio, the act will insure that life sustaining diabetes management supplies are covered by state regulated health insurance policies.
At the current time, diabetics are not guaranteed health insurance coverage in Ohio.
More than 750,000 adults in Ohio and one-fourth of Ohio's children are diabetic, according to the American Diabetes Association. About 100,000 Ohioans with diabetes have state regulated insurance policies, but their insurance companies limit them on medical supplies that are necessary to properly manage diabetes.
State regulated insurance companies often limit the amount of test strips that monitor blood-sugar levels they will pay for each month for diabetics. Some insurance companies in Ohio will add a "rider" to their policies for diabetics, which can significantly increase premiums sometimes to a point where policy holders can not afford the insurance.
Other insurance companies in Ohio will issue policies on diabetics, but completely refuse coverage on anything relating to their diabetes.
"Insurance companies in Ohio commonly exclude diabetes from their coverage," said Debi Martin, of Williamsburg, who has spent years researching diabetes statistics in Ohio.
Due to inadequate and limited health insurance coverage, many of Ohio's diabetics continue to suffer from unmanaged diabetes.
At the age of 2, Jessi Martin, of Williamsburg, was diagnosed with type one diabetes. Her mother, Debi Martin, fortunately had a background in the medical field and has been able to educate her daughter for the last five years on how to properly manage her diabetes. Jessi Martin is now seven-years-old and very knowledgeable about the disease.
She currently has adequate insurance coverage through United Healthcare Insurance Company, since her mother convinced their insurance company that her daughter's limit on diabetes management supplies needed to be increased to prevent more costly treatment in the future such as hospitalization or surgery.
Fortunately, United Healthcare was very cooperative with the Martins and Jessi Martin's limit on supplies was increased to insure her diabetes could be properly managed. Many diabetics in Ohio are not as fortunate and many insurance companies are not as cooperative as United Healthcare.
The Martin family has a history of diabetes. Debi Martin was forced to watch her father suffer from unmanaged diabetes for many years, due to inadequate insurance coverage and lack of education on the disease.
Recently, Debi Martin has made it her goal to make a difference for Ohio's diabetics, and so has her diabetic daughter, Jessi Martin.
They felt the first major step in making a difference for Ohio's diabetes sufferers would be to voice their opinion to Ohio's legislators and get the public involved in the passing of the Diabetes Cost Reduction Act, already passed in 45 other states.
Debi and Jessi Martin gathered up family, friends and diabetes advocates in the community and went straight to Governor Bob Taft's office in Columbus to speak with legislators regarding the Diabetes Cost Reduction Act, Jan. 25, unaware if their voices would even be heard by Taft or his officials.
The Martins were also equipped with over 800 letters from Ohioans in favor of passing the Ohio Diabetes Cost Reduction Act.
The group did not get to speak with Taft himself, but his executive health advisor, Christine Oliver, and other staff members heard the groups point of view regarding the Diabetes Cost Reduction Act.
On that day in January, it seems one small voice stood out among the rest.
Jessi Martin carried along a children's book she first read years ago called "The Little Story About A Big Turnip" by Tatiana Zunshine. Oliver listened closely as Jessi Martin read the children's book she had chosen to relate to the passing of the Diabetes Cost Reduction Act. The book is a Russian folk tale about a farmer that grew a giant turnip in his garden, but the turnip grew so large that the farmer could not pull the turnip out of the ground by himself. The farmer then called upon the whole family including his wife, the dog, and even the cat, but together the group was still unsuccessful in pulling the giant turnip out of the ground. The only one left to help was a tiny mouse that lived inside the farmer's house.
The group asked for the mouse's help with the turnip, but the mouse replied, "I'm too small to make a difference."
The group persuaded the mouse to help out and tug on the giant turnip. As the mouse began to pull at the turnip with help from the others, surprisingly enough, the turnip popped out of the ground. After reading the book, Jessi Martin explained to Oliver the moral of the story by saying, "If we all work together great things can happen."
The 7-year-old diabetes advocate from Williamsburg touched the hearts of many that day and set an excellent example of what can be accomplished if everyone "pulls" together and speaks up regarding the Diabetes Cost Reduction Act.
Jessi Martin appeared on Channel 10 News in Columbus and the Ohio News Network in January as she read her book to Oliver.
The Martins do not know if her presentation sparked legislators to look closer at passing the Diabetes Cost Reduction Act, but they do know that she caused many Ohioans to stand up in favor of the act.
The Martins are planning another trip to Columbus next week to speak up for diabetes advocates all over Ohio during American Diabetes Association Advocacy Day, but they need help.
American Diabetes Association Advocacy Day will be held April 5 at the Columbus Renaissance Hotel, located 50 North Third Street, in Columbus. The Martins urge all those concerned with passing the Ohio Diabetes Cost Reduction Act to travel with them April 5.
For those interested in helping but cannot attend, they can still make a difference by writing a letter about how important it is to them or a loved one that adequate tools and life sustaining insulin are covered by state regulated insurance companies in order to maintain a healthy life style.
"I think we are supposed to make it better, right mommy?" said Jessi Martin. You can register to attend advocacy day in Columbus by visiting the web site at http://advocacy.diabetes.org.
For those who cannot attend, e-mail letters to 4cure@adelphia.net or mail the letters to P.O. Box 557, Williamsburg Ohio 45176.
If possible, provide a picture so legislators can see who would benefit from the Diabetes Cost Reduction Act if it is passed. Letters received will be taken to Advocacy Day April 5 and presented to Ohio legislators.
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