Luddly Neddite
Diamond Member
- Sep 14, 2011
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Leo W. Gerard: Mitt Romney: The Empty Suit Clueless About the Empty Chair
First, Mittens is either stupid or lying (both) when he says people don't die because they have no health insurance.
What part of this was Billy's fault?
Someone close to me had open heart surgery. He had what he thought was excellent health insurance, had never missed a premium payment but they refused to pay. He got a letter in the mail with a list of "elective" surgeries showing coronary artery by-pass surgery right after bunionectomy. His wife went to war with the Colorado Insurance Commission (I think that's what it was called) and finally, after months of letters and hiring an attorney and almost losing their home, the insurance company paid.
Then the insurance company dropped them from their coverage as well as dropping the life insurance policy they had with the same company. They also dropped the man's employee's health care insurance.
Once an insurance company drops you, it is all but impossible to get coverage from another insurance company. If you are able to get the coverage, there are a mile of exceptions and its enormously expensive.
Where was this man wrong? What did he do wrong? What did the employees do to deserve losing their insurance?
The Affordable Care Act protects us all from the &*(^&% insurance companies and requires them to pay 80 cents of every dollar for patient care. It allows medical decisions to be made by the patient and his/her doctor.
I remember when this was the United States of America instead of the Undone States of the One Percent.
First, Mittens is either stupid or lying (both) when he says people don't die because they have no health insurance.
Billy was just 39 when he suffered his first cardiac arrest. An electronics technician, he had health insurance through his employer, and that paid for surgery to implant a defibrillator. Still, over the years, Billy spent his entire $25,000 in pension savings on medical bills that insurance did not pay.
In 2003, Billy lost his job and his health insurance when the company he worked for closed. He tried to get another job with health insurance but could not. He tried to buy health coverage privately, but every insurer in Pennsylvania denied his request because of his pre-existing heart condition. He didn't qualify for Medicaid because he earned slightly too much money in his new job as a pizza delivery driver.
While at work on December 14, 2007, he collapsed in the pizza shop. He survived, but a cardiologist told him that his defibrillator needed to be replaced. Because Billy had no insurance, the doctor required payment up front.
Romney's right about one thing. The hospital treated Billy as an emergency cardiac arrest victim. But the hospital emergency room wasn't required to give him surgery to replace the defibrillator. And neither Billy, nor his sister, had $60,000 to pay for it out of pocket.
Less than two years later, as Billy drove home from work, he suffered cardiac arrest again. And he died. For lack of health insurance.
Under Obamacare, insurers can't deny coverage to people like Billy because of pre-existing conditions. Obamacare also established high-risk pools for people like Billy. And Obamacare will extend Medicaid to more low-income people like Billy.
What part of this was Billy's fault?
Someone close to me had open heart surgery. He had what he thought was excellent health insurance, had never missed a premium payment but they refused to pay. He got a letter in the mail with a list of "elective" surgeries showing coronary artery by-pass surgery right after bunionectomy. His wife went to war with the Colorado Insurance Commission (I think that's what it was called) and finally, after months of letters and hiring an attorney and almost losing their home, the insurance company paid.
Then the insurance company dropped them from their coverage as well as dropping the life insurance policy they had with the same company. They also dropped the man's employee's health care insurance.
Once an insurance company drops you, it is all but impossible to get coverage from another insurance company. If you are able to get the coverage, there are a mile of exceptions and its enormously expensive.
Where was this man wrong? What did he do wrong? What did the employees do to deserve losing their insurance?
The Affordable Care Act protects us all from the &*(^&% insurance companies and requires them to pay 80 cents of every dollar for patient care. It allows medical decisions to be made by the patient and his/her doctor.
I remember when this was the United States of America instead of the Undone States of the One Percent.