Goddamit, Sick People shouldn't have to beg for help in America!

[mopaul]

with all of our vast wealth and resources, a sick person who can't afford medical care and has to beg and be denied and settle for less or nothing IS AN OBSCENITY.

it just ain't CHRISTIAN!

[LSparkle]

1. I'm with you ... Just imagine how different society would be if we had

UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE!!! No one would EVER have to worry about paying another medical bill, about benefits when deciding about whether to take a job, about family members who may not be covered ... This would TRANSFORM our society if healthcare just became a "non-issue."

[stepnw1f]

21. ...paving the Way for a Society Building a Meritocracy

That's why they hate it... they want a hierarchy.

[MissWaverly]

2. why is a presidential gladiator so popular?

I much rather see our president visting pediatric cancer patients

[Kipling]

3. It's one of the freakiest things about the USA.

Everywhere else has one. And I mean everywhere. Canada, France, Britain, Germany, Israel, South Africa. It seems obscene that the US, the richest of the lot, can't be bothered.

[VelmaD]

4. I will never forgive our government...

and the people who put them there for what happened to Andy. And I'm not just talking this current government...I mean every one that ever served and was too heartless or too spineless to actually DO something to make sure ALL Americans had access to healthcare.

[converted_democrat]

5. I agree with you completely.

I think this a subject that needs to be addressed more vigorously. My husband and I make too much to qualify for medical help, but we don't make enough to pay a doctor for the treatments I need to battle Lupus. It sucks to know the only thing that stands between me and good health is money. It makes you feel like less of a person. Also, my great uncle has severe heart problems and can't afford a nursing home. He had to divorce my aunt so she could keep the house, after he dies. Can you imagine having to divorce your wife of 40 some years, so she would not be homeless, due to medical bills? This man served in Korea and at one point didn't miss a day of work in 23 years. He is a good man, and does not deserve to spend the last years of his life like this.

[Glenda]

9. I'm sorry for what you're going through...

:hug:

are you able to work, given your illness?

And may I say, congratulations on being a recovering republican!

:pals:

[converted_democrat]

15. I'm really lucky in some respects....

I do work, but it's from home. I answer phone and reply to e-mail for my husbands small business. We make decent money, but it's not enough to make a dent in the bills. My husband is great, he takes extremely good care of me. I'm really lucky in that respect. We both lost our jobs about 3 years back, and we lost our insurance. My husband is extremely resourceful for the most part, and started his own business, so we would not lose everything. I have a home, and I have my family. I'm lucky in that arena.

[Glenda]

48. I am glad you are able to see the positives...

Small business owners are one group who have a really hard time getting decent health insurance. I am also self-employed, and this is my biggest issue.

I think ***EVERYONE DESERVES*** to have good healthcare. And the powers that be try to make us think that only if we have a good job with the right company, or have lots and lots of money, do we deserve to get treated when we are sick. That's total crap!

Sorry for the rant :)

:hi:

[converted_democrat]

49. Thank you Glenda, it is nice to know that you care............

I really do appreciate it! Thank you. Oh, and btw, good rant!!

:pals:

[Mnemosyne]

11. I'm so sorry for what you have felt, it

should never happen in America, aka Murka nor anywhere else for that matter.

V:hug:

[converted_democrat]

51. Thank you vickiss.

Thank you for your kind words.

:pals:

[LaurenG]

6. It is heartbreaking, there but for the grace of

(fill in the blank) go I. It isn't HUMANE!.

[Vinca]

7. Not a single week goes by that there isn't a fund raiser advertised

in the local rag to help someone with medical bills. As if a bake sale will make a dent. It's shameful and being ignored in Washington.

[Glenda]

8. My British friend said to me...

via email

"I like how you have to be healthy enough to work in order to get good health care in your country"

as I was telling him about my problems possibly having to switch from self-employment to awful corporate employment to get better health coverage.

[Mnemosyne]

10. Fucking right mo! I have a friend

that worked 20 years as relief manager in a group home for MR/disabled clients. One a.m. she's trying to get a 300 pound guy from a wheelchair to the shower and he throws himself, landing on her knee. She weighs 100#.

It shattered her kneecap.

The hospital never x-rayed the entire leg and she ended up walking on a broken ankle for almost 5 months before anyone actually x-rayed it. Everyone ignored her complaints of her ankle.

W.Comp. doctors decide she needs a knee replacement, knee ended up turning toward other one. BUT, she must have her teeth pulled to get her new knee. She suffers terribly, almost constantly, and is on pain management, narco patches and vicodans. Friend is terrified of dentists and teeth are loose and a mess, due to FEAR.

W.C. won't help her get her teeth out, but demands she get it done.
The center/corp. that owns the group home shuts off her health insurance and now she has none to cover her teeth.

She only gets her comp. and that's barely enough for living, much less a $3/4,000? dental bill. and she had to wipe out her savings to survive the cut in pay with the comp. she's getting. She has no one to co-sign for a loan.

So...

She contacts medicaid in Pa. and asks for help. They give her a 1 month Access card. She's supposed to get into an oral surgeon and have her teeth removed all in the one month. It takes weeks, if not months to get into a specialist here. It's impossible for her to do it in just one month. She couldn't even pick what month or could have arranged it most likely. She got the card and it was effective the week before, so only had 3 weeks now!! She did get an appointment with the oral surg., but couldn't get surgery scheduled for another 5 or 6 weeks!

So without having her teeth pulled, she can't get the much needed knee replacement surgery, comp. has to keep paying her until after surgery, etc. and she suffers much longer than she needs to thanks to idiocy in regulations/rules. And comp. won't pay to have her teeth pulled. WTF! does this make ANY sense?!?

She wrote a letter to Phil English and as far as I know he never responded. He certainly didn't do anything for her.

I contacted our State Rep. and after too many emails/calls to count, finally got a response. Have her call his office and his "team" will get to work to find her help. HA! they suggested adult CHIPS, a program with at least a 2 year waiting list. I told him evrything that we had tried to do to get her help many times in my messages.

I've contacted dental schools, et al, no help or will help pay 5 or 10%, and she can't afford the 90-95% anyway.

She is in such pain, will most likely become addicted to the pain meds(may already be addicted to them), and can't work.

She has actually pulled some of her own teeth (gross, I know, but desperation..) and has talked of suicide to escape the pain.

I don't know what else to do to help her.

Any suggestions out there DU?

I'm afraid for my friend.

Thanks,

V

:hi: :shrug:

[Glenda]

12. I missed something here...

Why does she need to get her teeth pulled in order to get knee replacement? What is the connection here?

[Mnemosyne]

13. Her teeth/gums are infected most of the time

and they are worried about the infection. It's insane. If she only didn't have such extreme terror of the dentist, wouldn't have been a problem.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mnemosyne]

41. I've never heard of a slum dentist before, How

would I find one, NW Pa.? Plus her terror of dentists necessitates sedation. Do the "slum dentists" do such things?
Thanks for the suggestion pitohi!:hug: :hi:


on edit- She has developed high blood pressure and has severe headaches. Connected the headaches to her teeth, didn't realize the HBP was related also. Thanks for info!

[jbnow]

28. Try contacting Public Health Department

They should have a dental program for adults without insurance. In any case they should be able to provide leads or ideas. Free/sliding scale health clinics might be a help too.

[Mnemosyne]

42. I hadn't thought of the health dept.,

will do this Mon. One I missed.
Thanks jbnow!:hi:

[EFerrari]

39. Two suggestions.

Press and tenacity. Get her some press any way you can.

And do not give up. If you are there witnessing for her, it's MUCH harder for her to be turned away or manipulated. Do not leave her alone.

PM me over the weekend, maybe we can come up with a plan.

Courage. :)

[Mnemosyne]

44. I have NO experience in that area sfexpat and

will appreciate any guidance you can give. I'm somewhat shy, but if it will help her, I'll try!
Thanks, look for pm!
V:hi: :hug:

[EFerrari]

45. We all start somewhere.

I will. :)

[ThomWV]

14. 2 Of Our Friends Have Been Sent Home To Die

Cancer in each case and of course no health insurance. Neither could pay the bills for treatment so each was sent home to die as the disease too him.

[Mnemosyne]

18. That is a crime against humanity IMO ,I'm so very sorry.

I pray for them to not have to suffer very long.:cry:

[SmokingJacket]

23. That is just plain unamerican.

It makes me want to cry.

[mopaul]

16. .........

[bunkerbuster1]

17. Nor should they have to deal with providers like new-car customers.

Yesterday I received a statement from my (crap-ass) Blue Cross plan. I was bracing for the worst, because I'd just been in for an MRI, and I have a very high deductable.

Well, get this. The imaging center wanted $1400 for the work. Blue Cross apparently sez, uh uh, we pay $468.

So, that's what I get invoiced.

Now, ask yourself--what if I was just on my own, looking to have this done? What happens when I say uh uh, I pay $468?

I probably get told to expect a call from a collection agency next, is what happens.

Single-payer now. The goddamned Pussycrats must make this a campaign issue, starting YESTERDAY.

[Mnemosyne]

19. They have theirs and couldn't

care less about the rest of us. idiots.

[bunkerbuster1]

54. Partly that, but mostly our Democratic losership are wimps.

Most of the country would gladly get behind a well-thought out single-payer plan. It would crush the fuckin' reeps. Honestly, the more I think about this particular issue, the more convinced I am that the Dems enjoy their second-place status and are happy bide their time, so long as their precious status quo isn't upset.

I'd love someone to convince me otherwise.

[Cleita]

20. Also, people who think they have health coverage find out

that they don't. It just happened to a relative of mine who discovered that her doctor of many years stopped accepting any insurance or HMO plans. She's strictly cash now.

[pitohui]

26. just got a letter yesterday

another doctor dropped from blue cross

will again have to find a new doctor

who said our system was about choice

we see the doctor that is taking our insurance this month

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

22. The third rec and kick because it's an important topic.

Well said, sir.

[YOY]

24. I love the RW reation that this is some pinko commie notion

It's just about everyone but us you freaking idiots!!!

Why must they be SO stupid and closed minded!!!

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

If there is one issue that I can get behind it is Social Medical Care!

[niallmac]

27. The coffee can with some kids picture on it next to the cash register

has always fascinated me. Family member gets leukemia? No problem. Just beg for money, quarters, dollar bills. BEG. AMERICA. B-2 Bombers? How many billions do you need?, Help families with catastrophic medical bills, oh no, that would be socialism. Hey, If that's socialism well lets get going!

[area51]

31. "The coffee can with some kids picture on it...."

I love how the republinazis don't mind that we have socialized roads (cost comes out of our tax $), socialized military (cost comes out of our tax $), socialized fire dept. (same $), socialized police dept. (same $), socialized libraries (same $) but socialized medicine is "impossible", can't be done, they don't want it. Bottom line: nazis want people to die.

[knitter4democracy]

53. They do!

They are trying to kill us off. I know that sounds crazy, but that's sure what it seems like.

Those coffee cans and jars are everywhere. Just in the last couple of weeks, we've had three fundraisers that I know of for people who are underinsured or not insured at all--one for a nurse with cancer who can't pay for her treatments! At least that one was at the hospital with the doctors chipping in. :eyes:

I get so pissed at conservatives who don't want to pay taxes at all, saying that it's all wasted or whatever, but they want to send our troops all over the world for oil or water or whatever some company demands, want the police at their house at a moment's notice, want nice roads, want everything that taxes pay for. I'm sick of them--they're the ones who are unAmerican!

[JanMichael]

29. This Atheist thinks it's IMMORAL! Fucking selfish twits.

This country makes me fucking sick to my stomach.

[bonito]

30. I'm a caregiver

You know what keeps me giving? Life, love, are the best things we have to offer here. I call that God. I am life and I show, give compassion here, therefore I am God as well, realizing that, everything falls away, and all of a sudden I am not anything anymore. Beyond that I can't say because I only have man words. I can only say I am. Peace.

[JanMichael]

32. I call that Life, Love, and Existance.

I simply don't call myself or the rest "god" "God" or "gods".

And in the same I am everything and nothing but as Sysyphus did the rock keeps getting shoved up the hill. The trip back down the hill is literally 'nirvanna" as I take an idea from Camus.

[bonito]

34. I have not heard of syeyphs or Camus

What I have to say, only I am, a small distant light of a feint star in the night sky. It is not possible for me to show you your self, light, in my light, Because you are the light.

[catzies]

33. Amen, mopaul! What about the "culture of life?" Oh yeah, I forgot

they're A BUCK OF FREAKING HYPOCRITES.

[Ladyhawk]

35. My friend works in the health care profession and can't get health care

because his health is so bad. He's horribly obese and catches pneumonia at the drop of a hat. He was born premature, so his lungs don't do the job for him, especially at his weight. He decided he needed gastric bypass surgery and he's having a devil of a time finding a drug to replace prednisone, a steroid that kept his lungs clear. He can't be on prednisone when the operation takes place.

And of course, he has to pay for the whole operation himself: $18,000. I'm really worried. He's what I would consider my best friend. If his father hadn't died leaving him money, he wouldn't be able to afford this surgery.

I'm worried that if he doesn't have the surgery he will just keel over dead one day. Yet I'm equally worried that if he does have it, something will go wrong. He isn't in good health and he's a prime candidate for post-op pneumonia. He hasn't been keeping me very well apprised. That worries me too because it means he's worried.

I wish there was more I could do. I'm sure almost everyone in the US is affected by the crazy-ass hit-and-miss health care system, either directly or indirectly. For me, it's both. :( In a way, having a sick friend is "directly."

[knitter4democracy]

50. You'd be surprised how common that is.

When my husband was in med school, he didn't have health insurance. He had to be on mine, the crappy Catholic school teacher one (wouldn't pay for anything that compromised my fertility, even to save my life :mad: ).

In residency, he finally got health insurance, but the good one was quite expensive on the small salary we were all trying to live on. We paid it, and my husband asked me every month if we could drop it. Hell no!

Now that he's in practice and on salary, he's got a better insurance, but they just finally added dental. Of course, it doesn't cover much or anything, and only one dentist in town takes it, but we finally have it. Forget vision or anything like that.

And we're lucky that we have anything at all . . . It's a horrible situation, and we keep wondering when the revolution's going to come that gets us a national health care system.

[DanCa]

36. Imagine if all the money this administration put into war

was spent into health care. BTW my own sister says that I should be greatful that our good christian presidents signs my ssdi check on the first of ever ymonth and I should stop bad mouthing him.

[Lannes]

37. Unfortunately the fundies are more concerned with...

Who sleeps with who than doing what Jesus actually wrote about in the bible,helping the sick the poor.

Im going to have to find some websites of Christian groups that are opposing them and their hypocrisy because I believe its important to show that Christians arent all like that.We need their help in exposing the real anti-christian agenda by groups like focus on the family.

[mopaul]

38. it's easy to prove someone is not a christian, but they won't like it

[Ladyhawk]

56. I'll bite. How can you prove someone isn't a christian, mopaul? n/t

[mopaul]

40. i can relate to all these stories personally

being currently in 'the system' of jumping through hoops and begging and worrying myself to death.

every story is the same, the suffering is the same, the desperation, the same. it ain't right that MILLIONS OF AMERICANS HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS while they are busy murdering innocent people with the money.

what a fucked up country

[Ladyhawk]

57. I have to battle for every scrap of health care I get.

The story of getting health care in America is always one of overcoming obstacles. The doctors and technicians are rarely on your side. A friend of mine who works in health care calls it "slaying dragons." All it amounts to is making the health care system do what it should have done the first or second or third time around.

Everything I've needed has been delayed or withheld, jeopardizing my health and perhaps making recovery impossible. I don't like to think that way, however, and hope that I can still make a full recovery.

[EFerrari]

43. I dropped out of a doctoral program to care for my spouse.

I also dropped out of healthcare for myself. That was a decade ago.

Nothing better happen to me, or it will be very costly for the State.

[SammyWinstonJack]

46. Congress has taxpayer funded health care, yet

they won't allow us the same? We should demand it. We should have it!

[ikojo]

47. Mopaul...it's not only not Christian it is not

the Jewish thing to do either.....

Health care and access to health care is a right not a privilege for the few who have insurance of money to pay fee for service.

[knitter4democracy]

52. Amen and amen!!!

I have so many stories that I hear from my husband every day that it's just sickening. When are we all going to fight for a national health care system rather than wait for the fascist government to give us one? I'm with all of you, and so is my hubby. He's working on all the doctors he works with, and more and more agree with him every day that something needs to happen. You'd be suprised how many docs agree with you and want the system changed and fixed.

Health care is a right!

[prairierose]

55. Right now, I am watching my brother die....

because we do NOT have universal health care.

Where he lived in the middle of this red state, there was no community health care available. So he ignored the symptoms until the curable type of cancer he had was no longer curable.

He will die at the age of 48 from a disease that could have been cured early on with few negative effects if we had universal health care.

[we laugh indoors]

58. Yeah I agree...

My father has an aortic aneurysm, the same thing that killed John Ritter, and he almost wasn't able to get operated on because the insurance company had to decide if it was worth it. So as of now they haven't said "no", but they're postponing any further action for 6 months. Which is bullshit because he could literally die any second, with no warning.
So until six months pass all we can do is wait and hope that the insurance decides that it would be profitable for them. Bastards.

[RONSTOO]

59. then go fucking help

them...no one is stopping you

[merh]

60. No, it isn't Christian.

But neither are the fristians. They forget that caring for the sick is one of the directives of Christ. Actually, they don't forget, they just don't care. :cry: