No one should have to sell all their posessions and face the loss of their home because their spouse (primary breadwinner) is ill, can no longer work, and has been racking up huge medical expenses! It's just wrong!
It's hard enough being a caregiver without worrying about what to do to make ends meet. Tigerette has had her power turned off (it is now back on), received threatening phone calls from creditors trying to collect hospital bills, and so on. And all this because her husband is sick!
I don't know the answer to reforming our health care system; I just know something has to be done. There are so many factors: changes so insurance providers can't discriminate because of a preexisting condition; tort reform, so that doctors no longer fear lawsuits and can stop ordering unnecessary tests (defensive medicine); getting rid of the advertising of pharmaceuticals; making sure EVERYONE is insured. There are many issues.
What do you think will help?
Davi
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Please support health care reform!
- By daviandsteve
- Posted October 21, 2009 at 1:30 pm · 1 reply
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- By Woeful
- Posted October 21, 2009 at 2:09 pm
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I hear ya. I don't know what the answer is either. I'm looking myself at declaring medical bankruptcy after I have surgery for this stupid ovarian mass. I'm collecting full disability (that started in July) but from November until July, I still had bills to pay (even rent, though I had to move back into my mother's house because I can't live unassisted anymore; so I'm paying for 2 months' rent even though I don't live in my apt anymore, grr) even though I didn't have any income coming in, so I wiped out my total savings account, almost all of my checking account, and my 401K. I wasn't expecting this ovarian mass, so all these unexpected new doctor's appts and procedures, tests, etc, and things have made my financial situation really grim now. Only way out of it for me, after my surgery and assuming I survive the surgery, is declaring bankruptcy. And it shouldn't be that way. For me or for anyone. I've worked and 'paid my way' since I was 16. Never been late or missed any payment in my life. Made a good income. But I had the misfortune to have been 'born' basically with a serious chronic disease and the need for frequent surgeries. So I could never build up a big savings account because medical copays and scripts would wipe it out every time. It is somewhat tragic in this country that you're penalized twice if you're a chronically ill person. First by having to spend way more than the average person on medical-related bills (which can wipe you out financially) and second by having insurers either refusing to cover you or charging you exorbitant premiums. It's just wrong on so many levels. (Meanwhile, if there's a disaster anywhere in the world, our country is the first to give aid or money. Go figure.)
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