National Healthcare Now!

[Gotch]

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.

[LCAS_712]

CAN YOU SELL A LAWSUIT COMING!!!!!!
If she did not get any life-saving interventions she needed and they sent her home because she did not have healthcare then they have a perfect case man. If you are on the hospitals grounds they have to see you no matter if you have ins. or not. Once you step (or roll in some cases) you are their responsibility.

[Gotch]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LCAS_712</div><div class="ubbcode-body">CAN YOU SELL A LAWSUIT COMING!!!!!!
If she did not get any life-saving interventions she needed and they sent her home because she did not have healthcare then they have a perfect case man. If you are on the hospitals grounds they have to see you no matter if you have ins. or not. Once you step (or roll in some cases) you are their responsibility. </div></div>

Sounds like a good case....but here is the reality.

The hospital and or the hospitals insurance company have lawyers experienced in just this type of thing to shield them from any financial loss. This family, who basically have nothing, will be hard pressed to find an attorney who would have to take the case pro-bono and then make an enemy of a huge local corporation.

TV and the real world are two completely different things.

Even if they can find an attorney willing to burn bridges on a pro-bono basis then the hospitals legal "team" will be able to delay and drag this on for years to come.

In the real world the rich and influential do pretty much as they please. Especially in our "good ol' boy" neck of the woods.

[sup-rbeast]

That's the way of the world..and it's sad. But, looking back now, who had the better idea..Clinton and universal health coverage or Bush with his lil income tax break...not making this political, but there comes a time when people must learn to vote according to their wants and needs..not based on the myth that someone will take away their guns or let gays marry.

[LCAS_712]

You are so true man.

[UTVols2]

I hate to hear that gotch, I am truely sorry for you loss.

I have pretty good insurance from my wife I might add thru the state but I was admitted in the hospital for around 4-5 days with multiple kidney stones and my total bill that went thru insurance for those 4-5 days was $20,000+, for kidney stones. I think I ended up paying almost $3,000-4,000 grand out of my pocket for the whole mess, took me like 3 years to pay it off. It is ridiculous what it cost to see a doctor these days.

You better believe next time I will go the old school route and purchase a case of beer, a bottle of advil, and a gallon of cranberry juice and just piss that mofo out.

Has anyone else had a kidney stone, those things suck, and I had multiple ones at the same time.

[LCAS_712]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: UTVols2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I hate to hear that gotch, I am truely sorry for you loss.

I have pretty good insurance from my wife I might add thru the state but I was admitted in the hospital for around 4-5 days with multiple kidney stones and my total bill that went thru insurance for those 4-5 days was $20,000+, for kidney stones. I think I ended up paying almost $3,000-4,000 grand out of my pocket for the whole mess, took me like 3 years to pay it off. It is ridiculous what it cost to see a doctor these days.

You better believe next time I will go the old school route and purchase a case of beer, a bottle of advil, and a gallon of cranberry juice and just piss that mofo out.

Has anyone else had a kidney stone, those things suck, and I had multiple ones at the same time. </div></div>

Did you go over to Johnson City Med. Center from Norton Community?

[1inStripes]

I unfortunately don't see how Universal health care would work. Who is going to pay for it? Will there be different levels depending upon what country you live in, or income or what? Yes, I agree we need some reform within the country, but imagine how abused a universal system would be, and who would foot the bill for most of it.

[sup-rbeast]

I hate to hear that..but it sheds some light on the need for universal coverage..or some kind of help to reign in the medical profession and the high bills that come with visiting the doctor.