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Don’t It Make Your Wide Eyes Cry, Iowa? Another Cancer Patient Grovels
Some patient stories just fill me with anger and shame. This one -- from Iowa -- is one of those stories. By now, we all know the plot. Patient has insurance. Patient gets sick. Patient cannot afford to keep insurance or find insurance that will cover illness. Patient goes without coverage. Providers demand up-front payment for cancer care. Patient calls on friends, family and community to help. Patient grovels. Cancer spreads. Patient grovels.
Ah, the mid-western values. This is Iowa. My mom was born in Boone during the Great Depression. Iowa is the place many think of when we think of those salt-of-the-earth, kind and hard-working Americans with traditional, perhaps even faith-based values. A kind and gentle place with a no-nonsense work-ethic. Iowa. Fields of farmers' dreams and the stuff of mid-America at its finest.
So, why in Iowa should we allow Deb, a cancer patient who is currently receiving chemotherapy, to beg and grovel for her care?
Is her life less valuable than her two Senators' lives? Come on, Senators Harkin and Grassley. Fess up. Is your constituent's life less worthy of protection and care than your own? And what about you, President Obama? Didn't the Iowans who braved the cold and ice of the primary day way back in 2008 help catapult you to the presidency? Deb's vote sure as hell mattered then. What happened? When did Deb's life become so expendable?
Do any of the leaders know what it feels like to face a cancer fight and have to come up with $2,000 up front every single month or be denied chemotherapy? Do they care enough to actually create a US healthcare system that would stop this horror from unfolding in Iowa?
Come on now, boys. And girls. This is clearly not rocket science. Other civilized countries have not abused their cancer patient like this for many years. We clearly could stop this through a proven and effective and enhanced Medicare for all. No more begging, groveling Iowa patients. No more providers booting patients like Deb to the curb to die. Just healthcare for all.
It's the ethical, moral, economical and sensible way to go -- so why are we stuck trying to have a bipartisan measure to keep the for-profit insurance companies, the pharmaceuticals and the big hospital corporations happy? I'll tell you why. Because Deb isn't invited to the summit. She's back in Iowa raising money for her next round of chemo. Shame on us all.
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57 Comments so far
Show All"Do any of the leaders know what it feels like to face a cancer fight and have to come up with $2,000 up front every single month or be denied chemotherapy? Do they care enough to actually create a US healthcare system that would stop this horror from unfolding in Iowa?"
Sounds like blood money to me. Sometimes I think it might be better to die with dignity (but not silently), rather than pony up. Must be simply awful to have to get on TV (or wherever) and beg for money when you're sick. Perhaps better to use the time you have left to bring to light to those sitting home in their smug paper castles, that it could just as well be them, whether insured or not.
"Do any of the leaders know what it feels like to face a cancer fight and have to come up with $2,000 up front every single month or be denied chemotherapy? Do they care enough to actually create a US healthcare system that would stop this horror from unfolding in Iowa?"
According to the right this does NOT happen in this country. People who are sick get what ever treatment they need, free of charge, so the reporters are OBVIOUSLY spreading lies in this story. (Yes sarcasm is intended here.)
As far as dying with dignity, but not silently goes, I am really surprised that statistically speaking, some unstable, violent individual has not had a potentially fatal diagnosis given to them or a loved one. Then had medical treatment denied like this lady had, and just gone postal, Stack, or whatever you want to call it on some Insurance company or insurance CEO.
Now I am not condoning it, saying anyone should do it, but I'm just commenting on the fact that I find it surprising that it has not happened yet.
"According to the right this does NOT happen in this country."
Actually they fully acknowledge that it happens, but they believe that medical care, even if needed to save one's life is not a right, but simply something one buys. Cant afford it? Tough. Usually they liken it to cars and ask rhetorically, "What are you socialists going to insist next - that everyone should be guaranteed a Mercedes as a right?
The idea that there is a difference between a human life and a car completely goes over their head.
Welcome to AmeriKKKa!!!
Donna, you could lay it on 100 times as strongly and it still wouldn't be strong enough. What those Goddess-damnable politicians are doing is a *crime* by any worthwhile measure.
Those buggers need to spend time in a high-walls-and-steel-bars prison for fraud and negligent homicide. Twenty years sounds about right, no parole.
I wonder what effect it would have if, instead of sending begging letters to the scum who allegedly represent us, we sent them letters saying that we recognise that their behavior constitutes *criminal* abuse of the public trust, and that, at our earliest opportunity, we will bring them to trial and seek long prison terms in real, not Club-Fed, prisons. Every time they do something self-serving, another letter with the same promise of retribution. Would it wear them down? Would it help to include their hirelings?
"Providers demand up-front payment for cancer care."
Does this mean allow patient to die if the patient cannot pay? Does this not violate the "Hippocratic Oath" or is that passe? It is high time for "providers" step-up; provide the necessary care, despite the costs to themselves. Take the insurance companies to court to demand payment. Do what was described yesterday in "Tracking a New Kind of Civil Disobedience" by Kathleen Burger -- steal from the rich and give to the poor! Do something rather than stand in the background on this issue.
The corporations that control the regulatory agencies and the courts in our country have
secured the right to give almost all of us cancer.Lets put them all behind bars NOW.
As is probably apparent, I am from Iowa. We are guilty here of being the first state to push the Obomba train down the track to another 4 years of corporate-controlled governmnt.
It's up to us to remind our elected 'feeders' who they need to represent. The very best traditions of this state lie in 'prairie populism.'The people united versus the greedy.
My husband and I just watched Howard Zinn's 'The People Speak' last night. Then I saw his article this morning.
To be continued...........
Donna, I sent my email to your union address. Can you contact me if you see this?
iowapinko: I wondered, and thought you were probably from and lived in Iowa. I, myself, was born in Red Oak, IA, and grew up there -- going to college in Clarinda and in Des Moines, where I lived for about 2 or 3 years. For me, Red Oak was NOT an easy place to live. My grandparents were both progressives, and they had a profound effect upon my life and my politics.
I am deeply saddened by the story I just read, but stories like this one are more the rule than the exception -- for people across this country.
As Donna wrote recently:
HEALTHCARE NOT WARFARE!
Hi Kay, nice to meet another with connections to Iowa. Yes, the state is very mixed bag. Some very progressive tendencies mixed with an unfortunate dose of religious fundamentalism.
Progressives worked hard to win the caucus for Obomber, but there was a strong contingent for Kucinich (that was my group.) I will never participate in dem politics again, I think it's a dead end. I think a third party has some potential here to begin to organize, but it will take time.
My husband and I watched 'The People Speak' last night, and neither of us slept very well, we know we need to translate our convictions into action and we're trying to come up with something that will be most effective.
When you say 'HEALTHCARE NOT WARFARE,' you've touched on our two most significant concerns. Then I aw the article by Donna Smith here on CD and it resonated very powerfully with me so I'm trying to get in touch with her to see if there is something we could do in relation to this inhuman situation.
My husband and I are both self-employed and have to purchase market-rate insurance. It eats up a huge percentage of our income. And this weekend I just got an almost 20% rate increase. I can't really afford the cost now, so the increase left me particularly despondent. I spent most of the weekend laying in bed feeling ready to give up.
Not going to do that yet, though. I hope we can find some effective way to protest this insanity. Not exactly sure what it will be yet. But something.
If you are ever in Iowa, Kay, I hope you can visit. We live in Davenport. Maybe we can exchange e-mails.
The "Hippocratic Oath" went out with practicing medicine in the 70's.
It was replaced by technicians who rely on excessive laboritory testing and expensive electronic toys to tell them what symptoms to prescribe drugs to mask.
Want to end medical abuse? Look in the parking lot next time you go to the doctor's office... if the doctors cars are all Jaguars and Mercedes, etc. don't support the greedy, only-in-it-for-the-money technicians. Find a real doctor who actually cares about the human patient and not their insurance card or bank account.
There aren't many left, but there's still a few real doctors left.
And for those who think this isn't a valid "litmus test"... I was in a hospital for a day or two about a decade ago and the resident pulled up to the hospital to do his round in a CHAUFFER DRIVER LIMO!!! I still haven't paid his bill... and I never will. Any "doctor" who needs a limo to do his rounds obviously doesn't need any more money! (BTW... I have pictures to prove this little story...)
If one is starving, it is not a sin to steal.
So steal the money to pay for the life saving treatment. The worst thing that could happen is you get caught. Then the state would be required to pay for your treatment anyway.
That is a win/win for you. And a loose/loose for the system which denies you life saving treatment.
If all the poor did this, the system would quickly change to provide all health care or break down and be replaced.
Prison medical care is pretty much a death sentence.
Excuse me, but untreated Cancer is a death sentence, too.
One either has guts to live or not. Guess I see the problem.
From the article:
"Patient has insurance. Patient gets sick. Patient cannot afford to keep insurance or find insurance that will cover illness."
By what measure does this "insurance" actually fit the definition of insurance?
It's not "insurance", but "unsurance", as in unsure if your illness is covered.
I have no health unsurance and I never will. First of all, I could not afford it even if wanted it. Secondly, I know full well that if I get sick, unsurance will deny treatment. There's just no reason to buy this crap.
Got cancer? Go to Mexico. Pay cash.
Yeah, sure, all medicine should be cash-and-carry. I hear in India there are even better deals. And the third-world nations of Mexico and India, rather than say, Norway or Sweden, are the models.
You are wrong. Norway and Sweden are the models, but they are not an option for the subjects of the USA.
All medicine shouldn't be cash and carry, as you say, but for the subjects of the USA, third-world medicine is better than none at all.
By the way, Americans had better get out of the habit of putting down so-called third-world countries. Just look where the USA is headed.
For most of India's population, health care is out of reach. In fact it was more in reach back before neo-liberalization.
Anyone remmeber the movie John Q? I recall hearing of it, never seeing it. It was about a father without insurance who packs a gun to a hospital and takes hostages to get help for his ill son. Recall the daughter of Joe Stack emmigrated to Norway due to insurance difficulties over tratments for a serious illness. Rather than fly planes into IRS offices, maybe some desperate individuals need to do that instead.
Spare me the sobbing stories and let the government and private companies compete so that the public can decide who will provide insurance. Government isn't the answer to your sobbing bedwetting stories.
hahahahahahahaha.....good one, trog
deleted by author
After reading the harrowing post about your daughter in another article, I think we all can imagine what you would have said to Encino. I do not think we should bother to respond to him. He is not an evolved person. (Thank goodness your daughter is now OK.)
Joe
Sioux Rose
ARDENT: He also uses Nebraska Nathan. "Bed wetting" is his favored metaphor. Maybe his mother never had time to change his diapers and so as an adult, he's left with this redundant imprint.
I knew I recognized that literary style. Wonder why he moved from Nebraska to Encino.
Joe
Bedwetting - is that a pre-existing condition?
I do sincerely hope you never get poor, sick or are without medical insurance or your pitiful little life will be without merit or consideration. Maybe then and only then will you have the capacity to understand the misfortunes and disasters that do occur to some members of our society. I almost feel sorry for you, but then again, I doubt you would return the sentiment.
If government gives me free health care, does that mean I can eat 2 plates of 5 cheese beef lasagna a day instead of 1? I want more food and more tax cuts. Government can whither out of the way.
Do you really think your misplaced resentments, Fox News talking points and hackneyed nostrums (look it up in Webster's) are the same as ACTUAL IDEAS?
Or maybe I should just ask: Do you really think?
It's "wither", BTW - look it up in Webster's...
This is satire - right? Right!?
Profiting from the sufferings of others indebts the soul.
What makes you believe those who profit from the sufferings of others _have_ a soul?
How very sad. This scenario simply does not happen where I live, in the UK. I pay modest sums for dentistry, eyecare and prescription meds. I see my very able doctor for free, and if I need hospital treatment, the only cost (and boy, do we ever complain about it!) is the outrageous car parking fees at the hospital.
In bigger cities, finding a parking spot is almost impossible and the fines are very high if you try to take a reserved spot.
Cars should be banned in bigger cities anyway. For example, much of central London only allows cars if one pays a stiff "congestion fee."
but I digress from the topic.
I could almost agree with that except when someone needs to be taken to the hospital and he or she cannot walk. If someone is going to the hospital to visit an existing patient, then I would be against their driving to the hospital unless this was their final visit and the patient is done.
secretarybird, to many in the USA you simply do not exist. Someone from the UK who likes socialized health care, makes you a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma to the right wing in this country.
I've never thought of myself like that before, but it's kinda apt!
I also read an article about the british health nowadays that reported an incident between a doctor and the nurses and clinic -- and a foreign traveler - i think from the USA - to england.
the traveler somehow got very , very ill..and had no insurance of his own...(i don't know how travel requirements deal with such things) ....
anyway - from the airport he had to be brought directly to the clinic ...and was treated thoroughly...
then when he was getting better..he asked how much he owed and how he might pay if he couldn;'t afford it immediately.
the medical people told him:
"nothing.."
so he asked how come. it was a shock and he was thankful.
the response was:
"well -- you are coming here and you got ill ...we couldn't have you INFECTING people while you go around, can we?"
as if it was simply not EVEN worth the conversation to talk about "fees".
it's like a completely different mentality.
People I know have encountered the same gracious treatment in Spain and Qatar. Here we have to pay or die.
I once had to collect money to admit an uninsured sick friend to the hospital. She could barely breathe. A bunch of us collected the $2,000 up front payment required for admission and I brought it to the hospital stuck inside my boot. (It was night in a bad neighborhood.) Our medical system leads to dramas that belong in a movie about kidnapping, extortion or gangsterism.
Joe
Secretarybird...
a great favorite person of mine is that british actress (from comedy to musicals to drama) - PATRICIA ROUTLEDGE!!! i love her and her tv shows, especially as very snooty social=climbing Hyacinth in
"Keeping up Appearances"...about which she said in an interview:
"the reason i took that role is because it gave me a great chance to make fun of the upperclass snootinesss, which I detest so much...it's my kind of revenge on that pretensiousness".
I remember her some years ago getting out publicly and joining protesters to keep Nursing homes from being closed due to "budget constraints".
she was incredible in every way!
Donna misses the reason why politicians like those two senators from IA are insensitive to people's lives. It all has to do with protected insensitivity that exists in the minds of these politicians no matter how many patients die of cancer due to lack of insurance or denial even if covered year after year. I could write a letter to my members of Congress explaining how I lost my wife to cancer due to lack of sufficient coverage along with a poorly trained doctor but they will give an insult reply saying "That's some story but we can't afford to force an expensive health care system to keep your wife alive." Funny, health care is already expensive except for them because they use our tax money to cover themselves. To them, our lives our worthless compared to theirs unless Big Insurance says otherwise. I might also add that this carefree attitude of "I got mine, screw you" corruption has trickled down to the populace itself. This could have to do with why people don't elect politicians who will actually fight for single payer.
in a time of steadily increasing, though unnecessary, competition-created scarcity, the winners win and the losers are allowed to die....
from j.conrad,.."the horror. the horror..."
How disgusting can these beaurocrats (from Obama on down) get? This story makes me too angry to go on.
Life is a "pre-existing condition."
Death is inevitable.
Will we spend the time in between seeking to help each other, or not?
Single payer.
-30-
This is EXACTLY what happened to someone i had heard of that is the daughter of a Nurse I knew.
the Nurse herself couldn't help her own grown-up daughter because of the expense and can't cover her under insurance...
the daughter has a job but not enough to have insurance...despite her cancer...her husband only working part-time or as often without a job..no insurance...
so some friends posted a hand-written message on bulletin boards in the former workplace of the nurse - asking for help from former co-workers to contribute ...just so the daughter can have more diagnoses and then maybe chemo.....
BEGGING...so pitiful.
The USA is a sick country to allow its citizens to die in health related poverty, while insurance corporations profit from misery
sick, sick, sick
Open source revolution. The people of the Niger Delta have been subjected to endless violence and destruction at the hands of the corporate fascists and their henchmen. Their "non-violent" leader, Ken Saro-Wiwa was executed by the fascists in 1995. They have resorted to violence in the form of property destruction and kidnapping for ransom in order to fund their movement.
I recommend all Americans take a close look at this movement. Even the most leftist leaning organizations in this country refuse to publish their communiques. We should all wonder who holds the levers of power within our leftist movements when people such as these oppressed and exploited Nigerians are ignored.
To you Red, I would recommend quiet contemplation and meditation. You are succumbing to these corporate fascist powers and when you advocated terrorism, you have become one of them. There are better answers than the ones you outline. Furthermore, I maintain that we have every right and responsibility to fight these predators. We should not resort to terrorism but instead fight them in up front fashion. Open source revolution is one of the many things Americans need to start examining.
Shell advertising is currently touting nitrogen in their gasoline. I would submit to you, after examination of the Niger Delta, that another major ingredient is blood. Right wing in America is advertising freedom and democracy. Instead we see death, destruction, exploitation and oppression as key ingredients in modern America. This is true both within our borders as well as what we export throughout the world.
To paraphrase Bill Clinton, I feel your anger. As you yourself imply, random violence against civilians are not an attractive prospect. You wouldn't do it, and I can assume that it is one part cowardice and one part conscience. But your anger is indicative of understanding and connection with other people. Have to find the ways to turn the anger into energy. It is the problem we all face.
By the way, the people in the Warsaw Ghetto were far more hemmed in than we are. Their options were so very limited. They must have been grief stricken every hour at the conditions of their children, their elderly parents, their young lovers. Still they formulated a sophisticated plan of rebellion involving the coordination and the work of many people, including a few non-Jews on the outside. It is worth reading some books about it to see how such organizing can be done. But they did not rely on impulsive, suicidal and murderous acts against any handy nearby civilian.
Joe
"And what about you, President Obama? Didn't the Iowans who braved the cold and ice of the primary day way back in 2008 help catapult you to the presidency? Deb's vote sure as hell mattered then. What happened? When did Deb's life become so expendable?"
Was this a rhetorical question? Because the answer is obvious. It was when her costs exceeded her worth as a voter. It's a cost/benefit analysis they do. You cost us too much, you go. (does not apply to corporations).