Health insurance examples lacked true context
21 01 08 - 11:15
I was interestingly entertained by [John P.] Fitts' letter in the Voice of the Day of January 8. He starts his conservative math lesson in the usual way, saying "I cite ... three examples" then citing four. Let me cite just three. And these three are not just made up; they are real people living today in Springfield (names changed).
Mark worked for his company for 35 years. He paid his health insurance premium religiously. He and his family enjoyed the benefits to which hardworking Americans feel entitled. Then his company went bankrupt. At 54 he cannot find work that will pay for his family's insurance. His insurance company hurried to cancel him when he couldn't pay because his wife, Tracy, has just been diagnosed with cancer. She will die with little empathy from our fine medical community or any insurance company.
Mary works for a law firm making a pretty good salary. Unfortunately, she and her husband divorced, leaving her and their son with her $600-per-week and $400-per-month child support. This does not even buy minimal health care for the two of them, if they intend to eat and have a place to live. She has a problem with some unidentified internal bleeding and no doctor will even talk to her until she "prepays."
Max worked hard providing for his family. His wife stayed home to care for their son, so autistically challenged that no day care would accept him. The four of them (Max, Linda and their two sons) lived well but not luxuriously. Max's kidneys failed without warning. He must go to dialysis three times per week, and is truly sick most of the rest of the time. Linda is going to school to try to get a CMA certificate so she can support the family. Max and the autistic child are provided with minimal coverages under Medicaid, Linda and the other son are "not qualified" and the family cannot get food stamps because Linda should be working instead of going to school (her case worker contends). She recently suffered a very serious bout with pneumonia because she simply could not afford to go to the doctor.
I personally know every one of these people!
Here's some liberal math. Do you know more of Fitts' Larrys, Ernestos and Freds; or do you know very many more Marys, Maxes and Marks?