I'm mad as hell!!

[orion9941]

I am so angry and frustrated right now that the only thing I could think of doing to help calm down is post on DU for some blogging therapy.

I received news this morning that a close friend of mine passed away last night after loosing their year long battle with cancer. What makes me angry is not that they have passed on...what makes me angry is the process that led up to her passing last night.

What had happened is that my friend had switched jobs, lost their health care at the new job (company dropped it all together), and her husbands insurance wouldn't take her on because she already had multiple sclerosis. So they had to pay thru the nose to have Cobra...and if you have Cobra you better pray that you don't have anything major go wrong with you because Cobra doesn't cover everything.

Anyway, at this point she new something was wrong with her health. Luckily she was able to get a job at my office. About a year after starting at my office her health nose dived. Thats when she found out she had cancer and a lot of it!! (health care doesn't kick in right away)

My whole problem to all of this is that if we would have some sort of REAL social safety net in this country to catch the people who fall through the cracks like she did, she could have gotten the medical attention soon enough to diagnose her cancer at an earlier-more treatable stage. But no, by the time she was able to get health care it was too late. The cancer had spread to far through out her body.

She could be alive today if this country would stop letting the drug companies and the health care insurance providers stop fear mongering each time socialized medacine is brought up in polite conversation!!

I had talked about this to my republican parents who are currently spending their winter down in Texas. But it fell on deaf ears when it came to talking to them. Why might you ask? Well...even though they both come from countries that HAD and still have socialized medicine, the always say it is the worst thing for here in America to have. The irony to them saying this?? They just spent the weekend in Mexico buying their medications...what great Republicans they are.

Sorry for this rant everyone...but I just had to get this off of my chest.

[Talismom]

1. I'm so sorry about your loss. I'm afraid we're all in for similar

experiences in the next decade or so given the grip these thugs have on our country. Again, heartfelt condolences.

[havocmom]

2. Rant all you need to. I'll listen and have broad shoulders to cry on

Also know the problems you speak of. Condolences on loss of your friend. Honor her by making universal health care one of your crusades.

Health care access is appalling in this country. So many sentenced to painful deaths because of the hoops they can't always jump through.

Even if people have insurance, too often they find it is not really the help they thought it would be.

[ThomCat]

3. I'm very sorry

I'd give you a hug if I could (If you want one). :hug:

As a person with chronic health problems I worry about insurance all the time. I know that I'll end up being uninsured (or underinsured) at some point. It's just a matter of timing and bad luck.

You're right, COBRA sucks. It's expensive and it doesn't do nearly enough. It's an expensive bandaid.

A lot of people die too young, and in too much pain because our people are, by and large, callous selfish people who don't believe that everyone has a right to health care. It's sickening.

:grr:

[acmejack]

4. That's what we are here for!

I agree with every single word you wrote. I am here because I am on disability & I would have killed myself if not for my Sister. I was in a position much like your friend with no support network at all. Lost my job at Dell as soon as my FMLA ran out, COBRA cost so much & the Disability insurer immediately stooped paying me soon as I was unemployed. Lost house, could no longer drive (car was paid for).

It is ruinous to get sick here no matter what provisions you have made for it.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. I'm sorry. Know that some folks are trying to help

I volunteer for a non-profit health foundation-I'm on the Board of Directors, in fact. When a patient comes in that needs tests and doesn't have the money to cover it, the Board votes to cover the cost via a fund that is kept for that purpose, and which is kept viable via contributions (I contributed to the fund in honor of my mother for Christmas, and she said it was the nicest present she got!) The President and founder of the foundaton is an MD who is a cancer survivor herself, and who looks for the latest ways to treat diseases and how to keep people well. Don't know if your friend could have been helped (Doc doesn't claim to be a miracle worker), but I wished she'd had the chance to meet a doc like mine.

[happynewyear]

6. It makes me sick to read this story of yours

You have my condolences. :hug:

I know all about the insurance thing being I too have such health problems. It totally sucks. The poster is right - even if you do have insurance you might find out it is practically useless given the circumstances.

If you have a pre-existing condition as you mention, the person is automatically uninsurable; in most cases unemployable too as many employers don't even consider hiring a person with such a problem as you describe. So kudos to your employer for giving your late fried a chance.

She sounds like she was one that fought for her life. While she was here, I hope she had a good life.

As for your parents and their stupidity, I'd stay away from them. Just imagine if it was you that ended up in a situation like your late friend. Would they give a damn I ask? Likely not as they live only in their own very small self-involved world as they run to Mexico to buy drugs illegally, typical ... what can I say? :(

May your friend Rest In Peace.

:kick:

[orion9941]

9. I've given up on my parents

I was unemployed for a year straight no thanks to the telecom bubble popping. I told my parents that if anything bad would have happened to my health during that time or if I was in an accident and needed medical attention I would have either been denied for no health care or screwed from the bills due to no insurance.

Them buying their meds in mexico was just the icing on the cake.

[happynewyear]

10. I was in that boat too

Unemployed and no health insurance. I got a job but it had no benefits. I got very sick while working at this place and never went to the doctor to find out what the problem was.

Whether this was a good or bad thing, I will never know.

I couldn't get on the State health care system for the poor so I simply had no coverage.

I went to acupuncturists and other holistic doctors. I finally found out what was wrong some 5 years later.

My parents did what they could to help me, but they weren't really in a financial position to help that much being they were working class people with few assets other than their home.

If they had a means to have helped more, I know they would have.

At least you know who/what you are dealing with and it is one big ugly greedy snake.



*sigh*

[orion9941]

7. Thank you all!

Thank you all so very much. It really does help to hear what all of you have to say.

One of the horrible things from this is that they were upper middle class. They didn't go without. But health care in this country is so terrible that they couldn't afford Cobra for the short time that they had it. The cost of Cobra and the necessary meds for her M.S. were just too much for even a upper middle class family.

This country is treating its people like a heard that needs to be thinned out. It's disgusting.

[Double T]

8. Sorry to hear of the loss of your friend..............

We are going to have to lean on our 'representatives' in Washington, D.C. that have the solid platinum health care plans provide to them by us. The American people are deserving of something that resembles what we provide for them. It is going to take a lot of leaning, but we all need to do it for the sake of our country, along with our wallets.

[fed-up]

11. Sorry about your friend, no Ins here either, can't afford health care so

my situation just deteriorates while I struggle to avoid a financial disaster.

If there was Universal Health Care I could have gone in to a chiropractor, gotten adjusted and been able to work normally with little or no gap in work time. Instead I have been living in pain/spasms, barely able to concentrate some days and struggling to just get the most basic things done, if that.

The cost to me in the long run is great from missed work opportunities, and to society as a whole from lack of $$$ floating around.

Luckily a friend was visiting from out of state last night that knew how to do adjustments and for the first time in two months I am able to work a full productive day. I had been getting massages from BF, heat/ice and gentle stretching with little improvement.

This Country needs Universal Health Care NOW!

[Warpy]

12. I lost my insurance 18 years ago, thanks to a lulu of a chronic

health problem. I couldn't get private coverage I could afford, and I couldn't get a job that offered group coverage. The real irony: I'm an RN.

I shudder to think of what I've missed over the last 18 years because I've been able to care for my primary health problem but not afford preventive care.

If anyone ever wonders why I wax vituperative about the fat pink men sucking profit out of sick people, that's why.

I'm sorry for your loss. I'm afraid too many people are joining her for the same reason.

[shireen]

13. my deepest condolences

that's so sad. and it makes me furious too.

please send that story to Michael Moore. He's looking for stories about our glorious health care system.

[area51]

14. Condolences

I'm so sorry about your friend. :hug:

You're so right, we need universal healthcare. What in God's name is it going to take to get it in the U.S.?