I have been the person on the other end of that phone call. All the while still telling myself I was blessed just to be lucky enough to buy this insurance that was putting my life at risk. And I was. You see, even though my HMO said they would not pay for the specialist my family doctor said I needed, I was at least able to go to a doctor. (Yes, this was back when I had "good" insurance in 1996. It has gone down hill since then.) I say it was good insurance because it didn't take a lot out of the paycheck and the co-pays were small. Now, there are deductibles and the percentage of how much they will pay of what they think the procedure should cost. Even with insurance you can go broke in a hurry now. Still, that is better than nothing. For those of you contemplating the Health Care Bill in D.C. right now let me show you what not having insurance does. My Aunt, Violet Norris, worked her entire life. From age 16 to 61 she had a job supporting her family. In 2006 she had blood in her urine. Did she go to a doctor in 2006? No. Why not? Because even though she had a full time job it did not offer insurance. For someone who is working to have to miss a day's pay from being at the doctor plus a full doctor bill, well, that just isn't even an option. It is simply a last resort.
People will try to say that this America and you HAVE to be seen and taken care of. Either these people are simply ignorant to the real world or they are liars. The only time you HAVE to be seen is in an ER situation at which time all they HAVE to do is stablize you.
In 2008, she finally broke down and went to the doctor. By this point the doctor said he had to remove her kidney. Violet had renal pelvic transitional cell carcinoma. They removed the kidney in May 2008. In June we were told it was Stage IV. At this point she is no longer working and in constant pain. Yet it is a battle to try to get her some type of insurance. You would think having worked from age 16 to 61 it would be no problem for her to obtain SSI. You would be wrong. She was denied repeatedly. At one point she was even told that you can work with Stage IV cancer it is just like having a twisted ankle. I don't like to wish bad things on people but if I was going to it would be on this person. This person that worked for SSI that obviously has no clue the effects of chemo treatment.
Of course the cancer spread, that is what it does. It had gone into her lymphnode system. Still she was strong in spirit. In Oct 2008 she started both a chemo and radiation treatment. But it was too much for her body. She hired an attorney to help with the SSI after being turned down again. In December she was finally approved for the SSI. Hospice was called in to help her with pain management.
On February 21, 2009 she died from complications due to renal pelvic transitional cell carcinoma. Yes, that is how it is listed on her death certificate. If you ask me though, she died from complications of a system where a person that worked for 45 yrs did not have basic health insurance. Had she had insurance in 2006 and gone to a dr then and started treatment then she would certainly have had a better chance of being alive now.
Please remember this when you discuss health care with your friends, family, and co workers. Then know at any point it could be someone you care about.
