Cancer survivor pleading for help with health insurance 'angry and hurt' over Tillis staffer's respo

[RandySF]

CAROLINA BEACH, N.C. — A three-time cancer survivor who reached out to U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis for help with her health insurance dilemma said that she got an insensitive response from a staffer instead.

"I’ve seen just about everything health care has to throw at a person," said Bev Veals of Carolina Beach.

Over the past 20 years, Veals beat cancer three times, and her fight included struggles to get care and medical bankruptcy.

When her husband was furloughed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, Veals worried about losing her health insurance, so she reached out to lawmakers for help.

"I wanted answers because the thought of having no health care and possibly getting sick with COVID is extremely frightening," she said recently.

During Veals' calls, she came across a Washington, D.C., staffer for Tillis. Frustrated by his lack of empathy, she started recording her calls.

"You’re saying that, if you can’t afford it, you don’t get to have it, and that includes health care?" she asked.

"Yeah, just like if I want to go to the store and buy a new dress shirt. If I can’t afford that dress shirt, I don’t get to get it," he replied.

"But health care is something that people need, especially if they have cancer," Veals said.

"Well, you got to find a way to get it," he responded.

When she asked the staffer what she's supposed to do, he said, "Sounds like something you’re going to have to figure it out."




https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/cancer-survivor-pleading-for-help-with-health-insurance-angry-and-hurt-over-tillis-staffer-s-response/19276097/

[avebury]

1. Lincoln Project needs to make an ad

about this.

[Cha]

3. Yes.. that too.

[Cha]

2. JHC.. this needs to be in a tweet & GO VIRAL!

[gratuitous]

4. Dress shirt? Health care? Dress shirt? Health care?

Yeah, that's a real dilemma. Two such equivalent commodities, especially for a cancer survivor. You can't get treatment, but isn't this shirt snazzy?

[demtenjeep]

5. what a fucking asshole

what about hospice?

[Frances]

8. Hospice is for people who have a six month life expectancy

Hospice only provides medicine to make you more comfortable while dying
It does not provide anything to make you get better

[Hoyt]

6. Christ. They could have at least referred them to Obamacare or Medicaid that likely

offer the solution in this case.

Glad this is being reported.

[ancianita]

7. Tillis' home page: "Thom Tillis is Fighting to Protect the Health and Safety of You and Your Family"

What a laugh.

[Sugarcoated]

9. I guess we've got Tillis's deplorable moment

Scumbag heartless pukes bring it on themselves

[Claire Oh Nette]

10. Health care is not a commodity

I can't go to Costco and buy a big ol' bag of health. That's not how it works.

Just like education, and the post office, these are services. Not Widgets and Gadgets and fucking new brown dress shirts.

Bet that staffer was young and hasn't had any health problems.

Fuck Thom Tillis.

and his staff.

[Grokenstein]

11. Rightwankers still insist that life-or-death health care is some fancy LUXURY.

This fits their brand, though: the only thing more satisfying than accumulating wealth and power is denying even the smallest iota of it to others.