To Die or Not to Die, That is the Question
There was an urban legend circulating about a young man who refused medical attention because he didn't have adequate health care and didn't want a hefty medical bill sent to him. The young man was rumored to have died.
Of course I agree that this must be one of those parable like tales about the health insurance industry. But what I cannot ignore is that one phrase that should have stood out to everyone "lack of adequate health insurance". That particular phrase should be coined a terminal illness by every medical board in existence. The lack of adequate health insurance has most likely lead to many deaths or terminal diagnoses whether directly or indirectly.
There are many people who refuse treatment because they either have no insurance or there clauses in their current insurance that would lead to high bills and debt. We all know how important the credit system is to the proper function of daily life in the US. An ambulance ride can range anywhere from $300, cheaper states to $2000 and in some instances, even more. I will not even break down the ridiculous emergency room fees. No wonder people would rather be sick than get medical attention.
I'm a broke college student who pays 1000$ for three months on a mandatory health insurance. I recently went for a yearly check up, which should have been covered by my insurance but instead I got bills totaling some $1200 for a pap smear and a breast examination. That doesn't even include lab fees. I would rather fly home to the Bahamas for $300, pay nothing for a doctors visit and pay maybe $150 in lab fees for glucose and full blood testing and perhaps $80 for a year supply of antibiotics. A pap smear is $20. And ambulance rides are gratis, free.
There are many people who no longer have coverage from group insurance because they have been laid off due to the Economy. You would think that premiums would be reduced, however, group premiums have spiked in the last three months.
And for those of us who are still employed, there are states and firms that force employees to get insurance. These premiums can take up anywhere from less than 1% of a paycheck to a whopping 75%. Imagine those who rely on tips to make up the rest of their pay, when their wages are $2.00 per hour(sky caps, valet) and their weekly pay is only about $80.00 after taxes and the group premium bi-weekly is about $100 +. What do they have left for food if they don't make tips that week? How about an individual who makes $1500 a month after taxes paying $400 a month for a premium. That leaves $1100 to pay rent, utilities, car notes and grocery. Hell, they may not even be able to pay for groceries. Yet, these insurance companies have the audacity to tell a patient "No, you have to die because we won't cover that shit." I know they don't say it like that, but they may as well. Because that's all our health problems are to them "shit". Otherwise, they would take our health more seriously.
And now, for you greedy, pathetically insensitive bastard CEO's and Partners of every major health insurance provider. HOW DARE YOU TAKE THE HEARTS,LIVERS,PANCREASES,SPLEENS,KIDNIES AND OTHER VITAL ORGANS OF OUR CHILDREN, SISTERS, BROTHERS, FRIENDS, NEIGHBOURS WHO YOU DENIED LIFE BY NOT APPROVING THEIR LIFE SAVING PROCEDURE TO SAVE YOURSELF. HERE IS WHAT I THINK, GIVE US OUR ORGANS BACK SELFISH BASTARDS. HOW DARE YOU STAY FAT AND RICH LIVING OFF OF THE ORGANS OF THE VERY PEOPLE YOU DENIED?
I was near tears listening to a woman who lost her child succumbed to a rare illness because her health care provider did not see the condition as life threatening nor the surgery necessary for survival. And ironically, that same night, one of the directors of operations of that same insurance company, daughter received her child's kidneys. I'm shaking my head and tearing up again. That same woman, without hatred, visited that little girl and brought her flowers and a card. *sigh*
SOMETHING IS SO TERRIBLY WRONG HERE... IM DONE
A HAIKU
I DON'T MEAN ANYTHING
TO YOU, BUT ONE DAY I WILL
HOPE YOU CAN FACE ME
falling stars
never ask me why i cry,
when so many of those stars,
fall from the sky.
life was promised to be short,
but never as short as this,
who would of thought?
these stars fall,
and it seems like only they do,
only their names tombstone to the wall.
aren’t stars supposed to live forever?
to be in the sky,
dim? they should never.
but even stars fade away,
into the dawn,
and another takes its place.
where is the light in the darkness?
why do our stars ,
fall from the sky?
© 2009 C. Dominique Gibson
...to all those we have lost as a result of man's greed and selfishness.
I'm late to the party...
Having been poor and lived in the ghetto, I can tell you that there is free health care in the US. You go to the emergency room and the people there fix you up. The hospital writes off part of the cost as a loss, and the State uses tax dollars to pay the rest. Here's the thing about insurance, health insurance in particular.
The insurance company is wagering that you, the insured, will not become expensively ill. You are wagering that you will. You are betting that you'll require a long hospital stay, many doctors and other services and your bills will run into six figures. Now then. Since the insurance company sets the odds and the cost to play this game, who do you think wins? Hint: How do the casinos in Las Vegas stay in business? And no, they don't cheat. They don't have to.
There are several industries in the United States that are impossible to over regulate. Banking is one example - just check the economy. It is literally impossible to over regulate the insurance industry. Instead, our government regulates the civilians instead.
It isn't that the CEOs and executives of the insurance industry don't care about you. They don't care, but that isn't the real problem. The problem is the elected officials who are supposed to care about you and look after your well-being do not. They neither care about you, nor look after you. And that's what is wrong.