Remember my friend who was beaten to a pulp in a hate crime committed by two bigoted animals? He had to get stitches for facial injuries. But when it came time to remove the stitches he didn’t go back to a doctor or hospital. He had them removed by non-medical professionals.
Why would someone do this? Because he has no health care coverage. None. Nada. Not since he was laid off by a subsidiary of a multinational mega-corporation (name withheld for privacy purposes). He does odd jobs now while he waits to find a real job. Just like millions of other people who lost their health care coverage when they were laid off and couldn’t afford to keep paying for the cost of continued care under COBRA.
One out of three Americans under 65 were without health insurance at some point during 2007 and 2008, according to a report … commissioned by the consumer health advocacy group Families USA, [which] found 86.7 million Americans were uninsured at one point during the [2007 and 2008].
Want to bet that the number of uninsured people rose significantly in 2009 as the official unemployment rate rose to around 10%? The more accurate statistical measure of unemployment and underemployment, referred as U6 by the Bureau of Labor statistics, which includes discouraged workers and workers who have part time jobs but would prefer to be working full time has been in excess of 16% for some time now.
Which means the millions of people, such as my friend are foregoing necessary medical treatments and care. Fortunately for him, having stitches removed by someone other than a medical professional is not as risky as many of the other treatments, doctor visits, preventive care, vaccinations, etc. that millions of Americans are choosing to forego because without health insurance they can’t afford the cost.
So, while Washington fiddles, many, many people across our country our burning because they have no health care coverage. Average people. People who may be your family, friends, neighbors, or the proverbial boy or girl next door. Likely someone you know is uninsured. Maybe even you.
Others, like our family, have insurance that requires high deductibles be met before any payment is made. This means that the fuirst few months of the year are extremely costly, as we pay for medical care directly out our pocket for my wife’s chemo brain symptoms and diabetes medicines, for my treatment for my chronic autoimmune disorder and for my daughter’s medications for her ADD. And we’re lucky, because despite two disabled adults we still can afford some care (so far), lousy as it is.
I can’t imagine what our lives would be like if we had to choose between health care and — food, rent, heat and electricity? But far too many of us are facing that onerous situation.
President Obama, and you Democrats in Congress who have sided with the insurance companies please quit dicking around and get something passed to help us. Otherwise (and this is not a threat, it’s merely a prediction) millions of Americans will not vote to re-elect you to office this November. Failure to act is not an option if you want to retain your job as a representative of your fellow citizens.
I don’t have health insurance. I can’t come close to affording it. CG has it for her and the kids, but they jacked it 39% this year. We got that notice over a month ago, so I don’t know why it took so long for people to notice this was happening. But, frankly, the rates go up by a lot every year, and they have for a decade straight.
Why people aren’t nearly unanimous in being pissed off about this is something that escapes me.
I went to the doctor today, not for me, but for CG. While we were there I was able to get some free medical advice. It amounted to, keep a hot compress on it and call me in two or three weeks if it doesn’t get better. What would that simple advice have cost me if I had made an appointment? Probably over a hundred dollars.
Yes and what fascinates me is how everyone has a story to tell. Whether it’s that your insurance premiums just jumped the shark, living with various crappy diagnoses either for yourself or a loved one or all of the above, everyone has a story.
Can’t find a place to put this, and it is completely off topic, but is so powerful I’ll start here (sorry Steven) http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=vOhf3OvRXKg – sand painting, WWII
She is amazing!
I’ve been there, and recently. I don’t want to go back. Taking my health insurance away or making it worse won’t help someone else. What we need is Medicare for all, a war between the have-nots and have-a-littles.
Correction “not a war between the have-nots and have-a-littles”.
Maybe this is simplistic, but here goes.
Since many people are being priced out of insurance, many (40 plus million) don`t have any, & it seems no one is happy with the service they do get, at exorbitant cost, not to mention those that are one doctor`s visit away from bankruptcy, why doesn`t everybody just say, “screw you, no more money”.
Why not an across the board cancelation of all premium payments.
The insurance co.`s spend millions on lobbyists to defeat healthcare reform, pay themselves millions in salaries & bonuses, then up the premiums by 39%.
When I go to the market & the butter is rancid, the meat green, the bread moldy & the fruit rotten, I don`t just pay for it. I don`t buy it.
I`ve never in my life had insurance. Not because I may not have been able to afford it in the past, & I could not afford it now, but I always thought it was a suckers bet.