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ladyqkat at Dear GOP - the collective you are an Idiot
ladyqkat at Dear GOP - the collective you are an Idiot(Post originally seen in this post by ![[info]](https://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=1)
ramblin_phyl. I have been notified that it was originally posted by suricattus in her journal post. The story and words are hers, but I do believe that it needs to go viral and that as many people as possible need to get their stories out there. Only by making a noise about this can we make a change in our society.)
There is a move afoot in the nation -driven by the GOP - to repeal the new health care laws, to protect corporate interests, to defend against fear-mongering (and stupid) cries of "socialism!", and to ensure that people are forced to choose between keeping a roof over their heads or getting necessary health care.
This movement is killing people.
Think I'm overstating the fact?
Ask the friends and family of writer/reviewer Melissa Mia Hall, who died of a heart attack last week because she was so terrified of medical bills, she didn't go see a doctor who could have saved her life.
From another writer friend: One person. Not the only one. That could have been me. Yeah, I have access to insurance -- I live in New York City, which is freelancer-friendly, and have access to freelancer advocacy groups. Through them, I can pay over $400/month ($5,760/year) as a single, healthy woman, so that if I go to the hospital I'm not driven to bankruptcy. But a doctor's appointment - a routine physical - can still cost me several hundred dollars each visit. So unless something's terribly wrong? I won't go.
My husband worked for the government for 30 years. We have government employee (retired) insurance. It is the only thing of value he took away from that job. His pension is pitiful. He still works part time. My writing income has diminished drastically. Our combined income is now less than what it was before T retired fifteen years ago. Inflation has diminished it further. In the last 30 days I have racked up over $8000 in medical bills for tests and the beginning of treatment. Our co-pay is 20% after the deductible. And there is more to come. Our savings are already gone. I have the gold standard of insurance and I still can't pay all the medical bills.
Another friend lost her insurance when her husband lost his job. She couldn't afford medication and ended up bed ridden for three months at the end of over a year of no job and therefore no insurance until he found work again.
It's our responsibility. All of us, together. As a nation.
EtA: Nobody is trying to put insurance companies out of business. They will always be able to offer a better plan for a premium. We simply want to ensure that every citizen - from infant to senior citizen - doesn't have to choose between medical care, and keeping a roof over their heads, or having enough to eat.
We're trying to get this to go viral. Pass it along.
I'm going to post my story as the first comment to this post if anyone would like to read it. If anyone wants to tell their story, please tell it on your own journal and post a link in the comments. Maybe, just maybe, TPTB will listen to theslaves peons who clean their toilets before they have to clean their own.
ramblin_phyl. I have been notified that it was originally posted by suricattus in her journal post. The story and words are hers, but I do believe that it needs to go viral and that as many people as possible need to get their stories out there. Only by making a noise about this can we make a change in our society.)There is a move afoot in the nation -driven by the GOP - to repeal the new health care laws, to protect corporate interests, to defend against fear-mongering (and stupid) cries of "socialism!", and to ensure that people are forced to choose between keeping a roof over their heads or getting necessary health care.
This movement is killing people.
Think I'm overstating the fact?
Ask the friends and family of writer/reviewer Melissa Mia Hall, who died of a heart attack last week because she was so terrified of medical bills, she didn't go see a doctor who could have saved her life.
From another writer friend: One person. Not the only one. That could have been me. Yeah, I have access to insurance -- I live in New York City, which is freelancer-friendly, and have access to freelancer advocacy groups. Through them, I can pay over $400/month ($5,760/year) as a single, healthy woman, so that if I go to the hospital I'm not driven to bankruptcy. But a doctor's appointment - a routine physical - can still cost me several hundred dollars each visit. So unless something's terribly wrong? I won't go.
My husband worked for the government for 30 years. We have government employee (retired) insurance. It is the only thing of value he took away from that job. His pension is pitiful. He still works part time. My writing income has diminished drastically. Our combined income is now less than what it was before T retired fifteen years ago. Inflation has diminished it further. In the last 30 days I have racked up over $8000 in medical bills for tests and the beginning of treatment. Our co-pay is 20% after the deductible. And there is more to come. Our savings are already gone. I have the gold standard of insurance and I still can't pay all the medical bills.
Another friend lost her insurance when her husband lost his job. She couldn't afford medication and ended up bed ridden for three months at the end of over a year of no job and therefore no insurance until he found work again.
It's our responsibility. All of us, together. As a nation.
EtA: Nobody is trying to put insurance companies out of business. They will always be able to offer a better plan for a premium. We simply want to ensure that every citizen - from infant to senior citizen - doesn't have to choose between medical care, and keeping a roof over their heads, or having enough to eat.
We're trying to get this to go viral. Pass it along.
I'm going to post my story as the first comment to this post if anyone would like to read it. If anyone wants to tell their story, please tell it on your own journal and post a link in the comments. Maybe, just maybe, TPTB will listen to the
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From:
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I wish people would see that health care is an immediate issue that needs to be dealt with in a responsible manner, for the benefit of all.
Thanks for posting this. I hope more people get to see it, and at least think about the issue from another standpoint.
From:
no subject
I have had a torn tendon in my ankle for over a YEAR now. I have to use a medical boot to get around and sometimes crutches. I've been doing this for a year, and until I got my car, I was doing it using public transportation.
I can't wear two of the same shoe because my mother's insurance through her work won't cover me, and I don't work as I'm a full-time student.
Obama's healthcare bill is ACTUALLY going to allow me to be put on my mom's insurance again, so I can get the specialist appointment, the MRI and the surgery I need to walk like a normal human being again.
People who tend to support the repeal of this bill tend to be people with health insurance, I've noticed. It's easy to throw stones when you've nothing to worry about. (And I've looked up healthcare for myself. The cheapest rate I found for someone my age was $200 a month. I could afford that if I never ate, filled up my gas tank or paid utilities again.)
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The last time I was out of work my COBRA payment was $487 per month. Again, single woman, no children, four years younger than I am now and no health problems. Yeah, it was crappy, but because of my fear of being without health insurance, I paid it.
From:
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I only pay for specialists (I see a physio and orthopod) and even then its cheaper because of my card. I can't imagine living somewhere that I couldn't seek medical help because I can't afford it.
What happens if you go to the ER without insurance?
From:
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Lose-lose IMO. I'd much rather that everyone could go to the doctor to catch stuff before it becomes ER serious.
That said, I have coworkers who, even WITH insurance, can't afford to go to the doctor. And we're federal employees with the supposed 'gold standard' of health benefits. She has the same health insurance as me but doesn't have a spouse with a flexible spending account to take care of the copays.
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That sounds like something you'd hear in a third world country, suffering to that extent over something that should be minor surgery and should have been followed up with treatment by outpatients. I am really stunned, and hope your mum fully recovers from the ordeal.
From:
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HOWEVER i have health insurance and i don't have to worry about the time i saw blood in my urine and had to decide if a costly trip to the emergency room was worth it. thank goodness for friends who covered the $150 medication to help battle my kidney infection.
my partner (i hate that word, btw) also doesn't have to fear for her life like she did back in 2005 when she had a gallstone attack and wound up in the hospital for a week. $40,000 later, the hospital took pity on her and covered about 80% of it. she claimed the remaining balance on a bankruptcy.
as long as she has a job with her current company (a large financial institution that has plenty of opportunities, but also plenty of time to lay people off) i know i will always have insurance. it's a scary thing to think that just one short year ago i was facing yet another year without healthcare.
From:
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I, as a German, have a "social health insurance", meaning I'm now covered by my half-orphan pension, in other words about 20€ a month. Including visits at any doctor/specialist I would like and as often as I like.
People here cried out when the government decided to have them pay 10€ per quarter just to cover some additional costs we actually don't see. Anyhow, if you've paid that additional fee to one doc he's gonna give you a bill for it and you can go see any other (except dentists, they're extra) doc. Most prescripted medics are covered by the insurance, sometimes you have to pay a fee of 5€ for some special stuff. The birth control pill is covered until you're 18, then you have to pay it on your own (like 40€ for half a year).
When I'm done studying my half-orphan penison ends and I will have to pay the full amount of the insurance, which is about 160€, with the same conditions as there are now. all in all, the social health insurance takes about a tenth of your income. We already complain about it, but given the U.S. American standards we're pretty dang lucky.
Oh, we also have something like a pension insurance, so once you've worked 'til age 67 you can retire in good knowledge of still having your monthly income. You can also get some additional insurances, so you've got even more. Depending on how long and in what branch you've worked it's about 1000-10.000€ (the latter being the pension of politicians).
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It is time that the US came out of the dark ages & started taking care of their people.
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Canada has insurance companies, they make a profit, and we have a health care system second to almost none. Sure it has issues, but one issue I never hear anything about is how someone was forced to choose between bankruptcy and medical care.