The New Uninsured

[MountainLaurel]

Greatest healthcare system in the world? Hah! :cry:

People young and old crowd the hallway outside the locked door of the Arlington Free Clinic. They grip small pieces of paper that will determine whether they get in -- or give up and go home.

It's lottery day, and 45 county residents who lack health insurance and money to pay for medical care are competing for 30 openings on a cold afternoon in January.

Mary Gleason, a clinic volunteer, draws letters from a plastic box. Those holding matching letters will be ushered through the door for interviews. If they meet the clinic's criteria, they'll return in a couple of weeks to see doctors or other staff.

One by one, winners are separated from losers. Gleason plucks a Z, and a man holding a Z strides into the clinic. His broken arm had been set in a hospital emergency room, and he needs to see a specialist for follow-up care.

Another man, who has Parkinson's disease and urgently needs drugs to treat it, leaves disheartened. He will have to return in two weeks and try again in the next lottery.

Read the rest at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/02/AR2009020202211.html

[Horse with no Name]

1. This is outrageous

But of course, it won't be reported on.
Hey, isn't American Idol on this week? Who is the next Sanjaya? Who is the next Jason Castro?
We need to glue ourselves to the teevee to find out...

[MountainLaurel]

3. As much as I hate to say it

I think the issue will get much more traction now that someone other than the traditionally poor is affected. Unfortunately, the media didn't pay attention when the folks waiting in line for hours at the free clinic were immigrants, people of color, and rural widows, but a nice nuclear family of architects and software developers make a much better photo op.

[Warpy]

6. You're absolutely right about that

I've been disqualified by insurance companies for over 20 years. Since I have an illness that requires care, that disqualification has kept me in poverty. I can take care of the primary illness, but forget about preventive care and even much acute illness care.

Being uninsurable has meant things like hobbling around on a broken ankle a whole weekend, waiting for an urgent care to open because the ER is unaffordable. It's meant waiting out a respiratory illness that would have had me calling RT in a panic in the hospital but which I had to endure and just hope I survived.

Welcome to my world, people.

Maybe this time enough formerly smug middle class people will find out what a stupid idea tying health insurance to employment is.

[bluethruandthru]

7. You're right..

With jobs disappearing everyday, maybe the masses will wake up and realize that your health care should have nothing to do with your employer! I just wish our President would realize that what we need is health CARE for all Americans...not health INSURANCE!

[leftyladyfrommo]

2. I'm one of the under insured - have insurance with high deductible.

People just aren't interested in hearing this stuff. People who have good insurance thru their work just don't realize how bad this situation is. Couldn't happen here.

46 million uninsured and rising. I think the latest figure I saw was closer to 50 million now. Millions more are like me - I pay almost $400 a month that I can't afford to use unless something big happens.

It is a huge problem.

[izquierdista]

5. Good insurance?

What's that? An ironclad guarantee that your condition won't suddenly be "not covered" or determined to be preexisting?

[leftyladyfrommo]

8. Yea, there is always that, too.

You just pay and pay and pay. Everyone has their hand out anymore. And I sure don't feel like I'm getting much back.

[MineralMan]

4. Single Payer, Single Pool.

That's the answer. Can we do it? I sure hope so.