A previous thread got side-tracked onto this issue. Since that time a tragic event has really driven home to me just how necessary it now is that we move away from the current system which has failed miserably.

Some of you may know that one of my hobbies is antiques. It also provides a small second income as I have a consignment booth selling the things we don't keep ourselves. My sister and another lady sell my items for a small commission which allows me to simply stock the booth and go about my business without devoting any real time to it.

The lady that has been handling my sells along with my sister has been having a terrible time lately. Her health has been bad and so has her husband's. They have lost their health insurance due to not being able to pay the exorbitant costs.

Recently she took a turn for the worse. Friday she was taken to the hospital in Kingsport in very bad shape. She was turned away. Any lay-person could see that she needed care but the hospital refused her admission. Two guesses why and the first one doesn't count.

She was so ill that she couldn't be left alone, but the hospital wouldn't admit her!

She died this morning from heart failure brought on by fluid around her lungs caused by breathing issues. In reality she died from lack of health coverage and from greed.

She was only 46.