Insurance Industry - In League Behind the Mask (Part One)

Because of the importance of insurance in the treatment of people suffering from eating disorders and the inherent complexities existing within the insurance business, this topic will be addressed in two parts.  The first part deals with how insurance companies operate and make a profit and the manner in which they make evaluate their insured's claims. The second part deals with the manner in which the insurance industry's practices impact eating disorder patients and their families and recommendations on how to improve the system.

Part One

Many people believe that the purpose of insurance companies is to help us, to be there for us in times of a health crisis.  That is a sweet and romantic notion which belongs in the same category as unicorns and leprechauns standing under a rainbow.   

Insurance companies exist for one reason alone… to make a profit!  It starts with making a profit.  It ends with making a profit.  If the insurance company is not in business to make a profit it is not going to remain in business very long.  And no one should have an issue with this.  That is the very essence of capitalism.  You provide a valuable service in consideration for being paid what the market is willing to pay you.

In theory, the profitability of insurance companies is based on a simple formula.  Their business model is to collect more in premiums and investment income than is paid out in claims, costs and underwriting expenses.  On the surface, that is it. 

Premiums + Investment Income > Claims + Expenses = PROFIT

This business model is reflected in the seemingly simple transaction with its insured.  The insured assumes a guaranteed and relatively small loss in the form of a premium that is paid to the insurer in exchange for the insurer’s promise to compensate or indemnify its insured in the case of a financial or personal loss.  The insured is supposed to receive a contract, the insurance policy, which sets forth the terms and conditions of his/her agreement and details the circumstances under which benefits will be paid to us or medical providers when we need to utilize the very services for which we are paying.  That relationship between insured and insurance company is supposed to be so close, so sacred, that every states imposes a duty upon the insurance company to act in good faith toward its insured.

And yet, name any other business that dedicates a significant amount of its own resources to a department whose sole job it is to investigate, question and then deny the very reasons for its existence.  Name the only business which routinely employs attorneys whose sole job is to look for exclusions and exceptions to payment so that that business does not have to follow through with what its mission statement requires it to do.  Name the only business which employs “independent” doctors to review medical records for the sole purpose of providing that business with a reason to not follow through with its mission statement.

With regard to the substance of your insurance policy, the argument made by the insurance industry and its powerful lobbyists is, “If you don’t like the terms and conditions of your contract, find another insurance provider or renegotiate the terms of your contract.”  Just for grins, in June of 2017, I telephoned five of the largest health insurance providers in the United States.  After speaking with their representative (each of whom was courteous and polite), I asked “the” question … “If I do not agree to the terms and conditions of all of the exclusions or the manner in which a certain ailment is treated, would your company be amenable to negotiating that clause with me.”  Naturally, all five quickly said no. Only one had the temerity to laugh a little bit before saying no.  I certainly understood the humor in the question though.

Claims are denied.  The appeal process drags on.  Sometimes, litigation is instituted for the sole purpose of having a judge order the insurance company to comply with its contract.  In the meantime, months, and sometimes years elapse.  And the insured is expected to wait for potentially life saving treatment as a disease continues to ravage them.  All the while, we desperately tell the Demon to wait and not continue with its rampage of killing while the process slowly grinds the grist for the mill.

Naturally, there are other insurance issues to overcome as well.  First, with the exception of the State of Missouri, there are no state laws specifically pertaining to eating disorders.   There are federal “parity” laws and some states, including Texas, have passed state laws which require insurance companies to treat mental health claims on an equal basis with medical and surgical claims.  And so, you may be thinking, “Well that gets you there.  Eating Disorders are recognized as biologically based mental illnesses and are clearly covered.”  And if you were thinking that ... you would be wrong.

Except in the State of Missouri, insurance companies have the legal right to completely exclude treatment of eating disorders even if their insurance contract covers all other mental illnesses.  When the group insurance policy comes up for renewal with the employer, the insurance company simply excludes eating disorders as covered under the policy.  And if you are thinking that this circumstance can't possibly happen ... 

Morgan’s mother is working at one of the 25 largest banks in the United States.  This bank has a group health insurance plan with a company named, for discretion’s sake, Azure Cross Azure Shield, or  ACAS for short.  ACAS reviews the amount of money it had paid for eating disorder treatment, it reviews its group health insurance plan with the bank, it reviews Morgan’s medical records and then, unilaterally makes the decision to exclude all eating disorder treatment as of January 1, 2015.  ACAS tells the bank if they don’t like it, they can go pound sand and to go find insurance for its employees elsewhere.  The bank’s employees have no voice.  The bank of course, acquiesces not knowing that in agreeing, they have signed a death warrant for those employees and their loved ones who are suffering from eating disorders.  But, on a good note, at least the profit margin for ACAS will rebound nicely!  And if the price to pay for that rebounding profit margin is the life of a few individuals, well, the needs of the many, or in this case, the profit margin for ACAS is much more important than the needs or the lives of a few individuals.  After all, you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.

So, even if you have insurance in place, let’s take a look at how eating disorder claims are routinely handled by the insurance industry.

With regard to paying claims, Mary Beth Senkewicz, a former senior executive at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners stated: “The bottom line is that insurance companies make money when they don’t pay claims… They’ll do anything to avoid paying, because if they wait long enough, they know the policyholders will die.”  Betty Hobel, a former agent for long term care insurer Conseco testified in a proceeding, “[The insurance company] made it so hard to make a claim that people either died or gave up.”  Los Angeles Superior Court judge, Sam Cianchetti, who was the arbiter in a case in which the health insurer, Health Net was involved, characterized Health Net’s conduct as egregious and stated that Health Net, “was primarily concerned with and considered its own financial interests and gave little, if any, consideration and concern for the interests of its insureds.”

In 2007, the California Department of Managed Health Care fined Anthem Blue Cross $1 million after an investigation revealed that the insurer routinely cancelled individual health policies of pregnant women and chronically ill patients.  As part of that investigation, regulators randomly selected 90 cases where the insurer had dropped the policyholder.  In every single case, investigators found the insurer had violated state law.

Those examples are but a few samples of a much more expansive body of work.

With regard to claims involving eating disorders, the mutual needs of the general public and the insurance industry would be well served by the insurance industry incorporating the guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association (“APA”) into their policies. The APA was founded in 1844 and is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States.  It is the largest psychiatric organization in the world.  It has approximately 36,000 members and publishes the very well-respected Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (“DSM”).  The DSM codifies psychiatric conditions and is used worldwide as a guide for diagnosing disorders.  The APA and its members have played major roles in examining and providing solutions to points of contention in the field and addressing uncertainties as to the nature of psychiatric illnesses and their treatment.

In 2006, after conducting an extensive study, the APA published its Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Eating Disorders, 3^rd Edition.  In 2012, the APA issued its Guideline Watch and found the 2006 Guidelines to be substantially correct and current in its recommendations.  The 2006 Guideline is 128 pages in length and along with the criteria set forth in the DSM V, these publications should act as the bible for the treatment of eating disorders.  The guidelines are objective and are based upon the expertise of many psychiatrists with combined hundreds of years of experience treating eating disorders. The guidelines include the use of pharmacological resources for the treatment of eating disorders.  All ethical and competent medical practitioners who treat eating disorders routinely refer to the guidelines and the DSM.

And yet, the insurance industry is free to ignore these guidelines within their insurance contracts and not apply those guidelines when it reviews requests for payment of treatment for eating disorders or to terminate payment for treatment.  Again … the insurance industry can disregard the APA’s guidelines when it makes treatment decisions for eating disorders.

In evaluating a claim, the insurance company ostensibly takes the insured’s medical records, it reviews the treating doctor’s diagnosis, prognosis and recommendation for treatment and then determines whether the specific conditions comply with those insurable conditions which are included within the insurance policy.  Claims are then pre-approved (for residential treatment or in-patient treatment in hospitals).

Doctors and hospitals then transmit medical records and costs to the insurance company as treatment is started and received.  They then start negotiating regarding how long the patient must remain at that particular level of care and how quickly the insured can be released from the current level to a lower level of care.  [Again, this ignores the many statistics indicating that eating disorders ravage its victims for years]. It is significant to note that the "independent" doctor paid by the insurance company is not using the insured's medical information and comparing it with the generally recognized standards in the industry.  They always have an eye on what they were told about what the insurance policy says.

And if the insured patient is 18 years of age or over, they must be told that insurance is in the process of or wanting to drop the patient to a lower level of care.  Presume that a patient is finally making progress at their treatment center.  They begin to see a light and hope's candle starts to flicker a little more brightly.  Then, they are told that as soon as the next day, the costs of their care at that level or in that facility will not be paid by the insurer and arrangements need to be made for either self-pay starting the next day or they will be in a shuttle to the airport.  That is comparable to throwing a life-preserver filled with holes to a drowning person.

And all the while, the Demon is laughing knowing that it has a greater chance to claim another victim.

(end of Part One)

The Morgan Foundation Resolution 2017

Too often in the news today we are inundated by the partisan politics which seem to define the political atmosphere both in state capitols throughout our land and in the nation's capitol.  However, for a brief, shining moment, the parties can come together in the spirit of cooperation if the cause is worthy and the message is universal and just.

On Sunday, May 28, 2017, seven months to the day that Morgan Dunn's life was ripped away by an eating disorder, the 85th Legislature for the State of Texas stood tall and spoke as one.  In this resolution, which is being signed by all members of the House of Representatives, they recognized The Morgan Foundation, commemorated the life of Morgan Dunn, and congratulated the foundation for the on-going work, in her name,  to battle eating disorders.

The journey to save lives, to bring greater awareness, to have fair and balanced laws passed has just begun.  And we will be beset by forces which will seek to wear us down, to get our mission off track, and who would protect the status quo of ignorance and isolationism as more Warrior Angels are claimed every day.

We will not be deterred.

Our voices will rise as one.

The Morgan Foundation Resolution Being Adopted

TEDx - TO KILL THE MONSTER - EMPOWERED TREATMENT FOR EATING DISORDERS

Thank you to the University of Texas at Dallas and TEDx for allowing me to speak out on behalf of those who had their voices silenced.  Indeed, those voices are assembling and will be heard louder than ever.

We need to educate, to inform and yes, to inspire in this never ending fight.

Going Down in Flames: An Autopsy on Texas House Bill 3891 (A bill on eating disorders)

Texas House Bill 3891 was sponsored by the well-respected, venerable Texas State Congressman Garnet F. Coleman. Representative Coleman has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 1991 and is a champion of bills impacting mental health issues in the State of Texas. As he has done in past sessions, he filed a bill addressing eating disorders, House Bill 3891. This bill was designed to address and correct deficiencies in the insurance industry and the manner in which eating disorders are handled by insurance companies.

The Bill was dead before it was even filed.

The two main components of HB 3891 were: (1). In conducting a utilization review of treatment for eating disorders, the insurer, in addition to taking into account other factors, was required to consider the practice guidelines set forth by the American Psychiatric Association, and; (2). The insurer, once it approves a claim under its policy, could only conduct a "utilization" review not more than once every six months unless the treating health professional agreed that a more frequent review was necessary.

In layperson's terminology, HB 3891 mandated inclusion of language in insurance companies' group policies that the insurance companies fought against tooth and nail, and limited their ability to "step down" or terminate coverage to once every six months. This necessarily would have resulted in conceivably, hundreds of millions of dollars in additional exposure and expense to the insurance industry. With this financial atomic bomb hovering over its head, the insurance industry marshaled its lobbyists, organizations and influential politicians and although the industry "allowed" the bill to get out of the Public Health Committee, the bill died at the stroke of midnight, Thursday, May 11, 2017 without the House of Representatives debating the bill or voting on it.

The groups who publicly opposed the bill were; The National Federation of Independent Business, Texas Association of Business and, the Texas Association of Health Plans ("TAHP"). The TAHP has been in existence since 1987 and is the statewide trade association representing private health insurers, health maintenance organizations and other related health care entities operating in Texas. With regard to HB 3891, the TAHP's position was, "This bill violates our free market and limited government principles by mandating private insurers offer certain coverage. It is not a role of government to regulate an agreed upon contract between any private entity and a consumer. For these reasons, we oppose HB 3891." With this strong, united opposition, the eating disorder industry and community were facing an overwhelming mountain to climb.

The groups who publicly supported the bill were ... The National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Texas and ... [insert crickets chirping here] The Eating Disorder Coalition did not. (albeit, they focus their attention at the federal level.) The National Eating Disorder Association did not. The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa did not. No eating disorder recovery hospital, residential program, doctors' association, or counseling association stepped to the plate to be heard. The Texas Medical Association did not lend their considerable influence. No family based foundation attempted to rally other foundations to become involved. No influential corporate leader testified on the bill's behalf. A bill that would have revolutionized the eating disorder industry, a bill that would have brought so much hope to those victims suffering from eating disorders was left floundering, to go down to certain defeat.

HB 3891 was filed on March 10, 2017. This date is significant because this was the last possible date that a bill could be filed and still be considered during this legislative session. This late filing indicates the bill was more of an afterthought instead of a ground breaking piece of legislation that had a likelihood of success. In fact, the bill could have been filed as early as November 14, 2016. Approximately 400 other bills were filed on that date. Former speaker of the Texas House, Representative Tom Craddick stated that the early filing of bills helps because it increases the likelihood of obtaining an early hearing date on the bill while increases awareness and support of the bill. Even Representative Coleman stated that early filing of bills can give advocates something to organize around. So, why was this crucially important bill filed on the last possible day?

That fault lies with us ... the eating disorder community and the eating disorder industry. I had previously opined that the eating disorder industry and community is beset by parochialism, that it is a fractured and fragmented community whose "silo mentality" is merely making noise and no unified, powerful voice is speaking clearly and passionately articulating a vision that will result in saving lives. Is there any better proof than Tx HB 3891? The eating disorder industry continues to look inward, seemingly more concerned about protecting its "proprietary secrets" and desire for personal glory than in collaborating on a much needed broad-based initiative designed to bring assistance to all persons suffering from this disease. So, what can the eating disorder community do to insure that bills like Tx HB 3891 do not become status quo?

First, successful passage of a future bill (after the current session adjourns at the end of May 2017, the next session does not start until January 2019) begins today. It is comparable to winning a championship in football. Championships are not won in January when the game is played. They are won when the hot, hard work is done the previous July and August when no one is looking. Today, the eating disorder industry and community must rally, collaborate and find a common cause to support.

Language of a realistic bill that has a chance of being passed into law must be generated now. A Republican co-sponsor of that bill, a person with vision and wisdom must be identified and approached. (Why Republican? Because they control the Texas senate, house and all powerful positions in Texas government). The groups who opposed Tx HB 3891 must be approached and in-depth discussions must be had about the new bill. Instead of being approached in an adversarial basis, those groups are approached in the spirit of cooperation, educating them about the statistics that we, in the eating disorder community know so well. We retain political activists and a lobbyist who has a history of success in pushing through the agendas of his/her clients. The eating disorder community MUST reach out to African-American and Hispanic schools, groups and communities to help educate and inform and include them in this cause against eating disorders. The family foundations who are hoping to find their mighty voice must be found and approached. So too must we include the Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Transgender groups and communities in this fight. Eating disorders know no racial, ethnic or sexual identity discrimination. It kills without remorse across the spectrum. The medical industry which would benefit so much, financially and otherwise, by mandatory improvements in the manner by which the insurance industry reviews treatment decisions must be rallied to this cause. A financial analyst must be retained to give a realistic, accurate report on the financial impact on citizens of the State of Texas that this bill would have. A "white paper" must be generated immediately outlining where the eating disorder industry is and what critical changes need to be implemented.

If these steps are successfully implemented, then we will have the eating disorder community, the eating disorder industry, the medical community, the African-American community, the Hispanic community, the LGBT community, the Democratic party, a champion in the Republican party and the family foundations rallied behind one cause, with one purpose in mind... and the powerful insurance industry will be left isolated, alone facing the combined mighty voices of a people acting as one, a people who are single minded in their purpose and now who have power and influence. Now, the playing field is even. Now, we can go to powerful politicians in Austin with thousands of voices supporting us. We have our Army of Warrior Angels inspiring but now, they too will feel hope and strength knowing that their message is being heard.

IF we undertake these tasks. IF we are willing to do the hard work. IF we listen to our Army. Only then, can we implement real change. IF we commit ourselves. Our cause is righteous. Our cause is just. The only question remaining is, do we have the courage of our convictions?

Silence the Noise ... and Raise Their Mighty Voices

April 30, 2017 will mark the sixth month date marking the passing of my beloved daughter, Morgan. And, with regard to the eating disorder community, the reality of a fractured and fragmented community has been increasingly discovered. As the curtain is pulled back, we do not see one master wizard pulling the strings of the marionettes as all dance with swan like beauty to the tune of a wondrous symphony. To the contrary. When the curtain is pulled aside, we see instead, the fleeting images of numerous people competing for a place at the head of the table and whose combined voices create an ear-blistering, cacophony of sound which drowns out any type of unified or powerful message or vision.

Silo mentality is loosely defined as that mindset wherein divisions, organizations, departments or functions refuse to share information, resource and support to others. It occurs when persons, companies, centers or clinics conclude that it is not their responsibility to coordinate their activities ... or breakthroughs with peers or other groups. In fact, this "silo mentality," is so prevalent in business that it is assumed to be a fundamental problem of human nature. And as the noise continues, as silo mentality remains prevalent, our children, our loved ones, remain the victims as "the Monster" claims its hourly victims.

The eating disorder community is comprised of a number of clear and distinct entities. There are the research scientists. Those brilliant doctors and professors studying the most complex biological organ of them all, the brain. They look for clues or hints of the biological causes of eating disorders, genetic markers, any abnormalities which could give us insight into the disease. They are usually attached to a university and are spread throughout the United States and abroad. Then you have the medical doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating eating disorders. Their task is equally daunting. They must recognize the early signs of eating disorders, stay current with the latest alleged "breakthrough medication" from the pharmaceutical industry, educate the patient and the family, and hope they caught the Monster in time before it is too ingrained in the victim and the home.

There is the pharmaceutical industry who has never recognized an illness or disease that they, in some way, can't make better and who operate in corporate secrecy guarding their proprietary information with Mossad like efficiency. Then, we have the residential treatment centers spread throughout the United States and abroad. Each treatment center is subject to the whims of their owners and each promising that in some manner, their treatment protocol is the best, is the most adaptive. Then, we have the counselors and counseling centers whose professionals have been trained to recognize and in some manner, treat eating disorders. Their number throughout the United States alone is legion. We can also include those foundations, both profit and non-profit, which were started largely by persons who have survived the Monster and wish to spread awareness. Finally, there are the family foundations. These are usually started by those families who were victimized by the Monster when their loved one was ripped from this earth. Those foundations are meant to help the family in their grieving process, spread awareness (usually locally) and to raise funds for this cause. And, more often than not, those family foundations, after a few years, weaken and fall as the enormity of the task, the lack of long term planning, the difficulty of the road and the obstacles placed before them overwhelm their sensitivities and wear them down.

Each of those entities are speaking their own truth. Each of those entities are speaking about their strengths. Some of those entities are merely crying out in despair. Some of those voices are reinforced by the belief that they will be the next Jonas Salk, or Louis Pasteur or Walter Reed. Some of those voices are talking about their state of the art programs. And some of those voices are just wailing in despair, beset by grief. And the noise remains deafening, loud, disjointed and unintelligible. And all the while, the Monster continues to laugh and claims its hourly victims.

The Noise must stop because the carnage is not.

A message must be delivered. That message must be delivered to each state house in the Republic. That message must be delivered to each doctor and to each hospital. That message must be delivered to each school and to each parent. That message must be delivered to the White House and to Congress. That message must be delivered to each city hall. That message must be delivered from east coast to west coast. That message must be delivered to those nations near and far.

And, that message does not, and is not, coming from us. That message is coming from those voices who have been silenced. That message is coming from our daughters and our sons, our brothers and our sisters, our mothers and fathers, our loved ones. That message is coming from that Army of Warrior Angels who were ripped away from our loving arms by the Monster. That Army of Warrior Angels are unified as one, their voices are in harmony. Their resolve is irresolute. That Army of Warrior Angels are standing, arms linked together with one powerful purpose. Their voices are a mighty roar, loud and clear. And we have the absolute and inalienable duty to learn how to listen, heed and spread their message.

Their message? The time to unite is now. The time to collaborate is now. The eating disorder community must rise above its petty differences, its pride, its "silo mentality," its desire to glorify itself separately. We must speak as one, with all of the strength, power and passion of our Army of Warrior Angels and tell the world that the Monster is among us ripping a life from us every 62 minutes. For if we do unite, if we do educate and inform, if we research as one, speak as one, act as one, we can cage and control the Monster. We can save lives. Our Army of Warrior Angels expects and demands nothing less. We honor them by heeding them. We honor them by uniting to save precious lives.

Local CBS Station Shines a Light on Eating Disorders

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/video/category/news/3627831-dallas-dad-shines-light-on-eating-disorders-after-daughters-death/

Thank you to our Dallas affiliate of CBS for this piece on eating disorders. Since February was Eating Disorder Awareness Month in Texas and the last week in February is recognized as national eating disorder awareness week, knowledge is power.

March 1, 2017 ... A Night with the Experts

Many on here read about the passing of my daughter Morgan, last October 30, 2016. She was 23 years old and had fought an eating disorder for 7 long years. Your sympathy and strong words of support helped so much and I thank you all for that.

Morgan often referred to us as “twins.” She had that joyous spirit that caught people’s attention and when she walked into a room, people knew she was there. At her “Celebration of Life,” there were a number of young women who attended and who have since written to me telling me how Morgan had saved their lives … that she was a bright light for them and brought them hope. And then, things began to happen. And a true journey in life was presented to me seemingly by coincidence, or fate or karma. But, a very poignant statement was made just yesterday by the pastor at the church I now attend when he said, “When you have found your purpose in life, God finds a way of making it happen.”

In the past three (3) months, I started the first Texas Chapter of Project HEAL, a non-profit foundation based in New York specializing in eating disorders. You can google it: Project HEAL – North Texas Chapter. I have also been accepted to give a TEDx talk in April at the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Children’s Theater Center is presenting a play beginning this week entitled, “Eat … It’s Not About Food.” I may be speaking to attendees after at least one of the performances as an expert in the field.

But of greater import, is that on behalf of Project HEAL - North Texas Chapter, I have partnered with a non-profit foundation called The Elisa Project here in the Dallas area to present a seminar. The Executive Director of The Elisa Project is the incredible Kimberly Martinez. I have convinced, begged, pleaded, and/or threatened three (3) of the foremost experts on eating disorders in the State of Texas to appear on March 1, 2017 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on the campus of the University of Texas at Dallas to speak for 2 hours on eating disorders. These experts are:

Dr. Carrie McAdams from UT Southwestern;

Dr. Stephanie Setliff from Eating Recovery Center of Dallas;

Dr. Dana Rubin-Remer from Girls to Women Health and Wellness Clinic.

This event is free to the public. Doctors, counselors, teachers, parents, students are all welcome. We hope to have a crowd of at least 300 attending.

This seminar is being conducted during the heart of eating disorder awareness week and at the end of Eating Disorder Awareness Month in Texas. And as far as my research has found, nothing like this has ever been done in the United States. And since we are in Texas, I firmly believe in the saying, “Go Big or Go Home!”

As such, I am trying to arrange to have it simulcast on the internet and perhaps a local cable station as well. I have met a person who does part-time PR for the Mark Cuban Companies with ties in the broadcast industry. She can get this event the publicity it needs. Promotional material, a website and other miscellaneous costs will be incurred as well.

This is where you come in. I could have gone the gofundme route. But, since I partnered with The Elisa Project, and since they are a 501(c)(3) organization, we decided to simply use their donation window. We have the costs targeted at around $15,000.00. Any amount you donate is much needed and is so appreciated! I have embedded the donation page for The Elisa Project, or you can contact them directly by mail, or however you wish to donate. Their Tax ID Number is 75-2828903. Of course, if needed, I can get you their IRS letter of determination. In your donation, please put it is for the March 1 event or “Night of the Experts.”

http://theelisaproject.org/donate

You may be asking yourself, “why should I donate to this cause? It’s just an eating disorder… and that is just a rich little white girl’s illness.” Now, I could inundate you with shocking statistics, but instead I will just give you two statistics:

1. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.

2. Every sixty-two (62) minutes, someone dies as a direct result of an eating disorder.

You read that correctly. EVERY SIXTY-TWO (62) MINUTES, SOMEONE DIES AS A DIRECT RESULT OF AN EATING DISORDER. My beloved daughter became one of those statistics. And I want to help prevent other dads from having to sit in a hospital room, holding their daughter’s hand for the last time as her last breath of life leaves her forever. And with that last breath of life, so too does a part of his soul leave.

Finally, right after Morgan passed away, I could almost hear the Devil laughing as he whispered in my ear, “You are not strong enough to withstand the coming storm.” Now, I am whispering in the Devil’s ear, “I am the storm.”

Help us save lives ... one precious life at a time. And do NOT let your loved one be that next statistic.